Friday might be the last day of school for most children in Wales, but children whom are vulnerable or have a parent identified as a key worker, provisions are being made to keep them in school.
The Government is doing everything they can to keep people safe, but also to ensure the UK keeps on running.
In a statement on Gov UK, a spokesperson has said:
“The most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.”
However, those who are working on the frontline in health or in care, it can be difficult for them to arrange childcare to allow them to carrying on working.
The official list of key workers has also been extended to workers who help keep the economy running.
The list of key workers include:
[accordions]
[accordion title=”Health and social care” load=”show”]This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Education and childcare” load=”hide”]This includes childcare, support and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach.[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Key public services” load=”hide”]This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Local and national government” load=”hide”]This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response, or delivering essential public services, such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arms length bodies.[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Food and other necessary goods” load=”hide”]This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Public safety and national security” load=”hide”]This includes police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Transport” load=”hide”]This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Utilities, communication and financial services” load=”hide”]This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.[/accordion]
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The Government has said:
“If workers think they fall within the critical categories above, they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.
“If your school is closed, then please contact your local authority, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area that your child, or children, can attend.
“We are grateful for the work of teachers and workers in educational settings for continuing to provide for the children of the other critical workers of our country. It is an essential part of our national effort to combat this disease.”
