Bristol schools are helping to lead the way a project to discover how Coronavirus is transmitted in the classroom, including studying drain water.
The University of Bristol will lead the Covid-19 Mapping and Mitigation in Schools project will seek to learn more about the way the virus acts in schools.
Around nine million children between the ages of four and 18 attend school in England, around 16 per cent of the total population.
However, little is known about the impact and transmission patterns of Coronavirus in schoolchildren, how patterns of infection amongst pupils might impact the wider community, or the long-term consequences of school closure on the health of pupils.
Limiting transmission of Coronavirus in schools can be difficult because children with Covid-19 often show no obvious symptoms and schoolchildren normally interact with a large number of other children and adults.
The project will work with Bristol City Council, Public Health England, along with primary and secondary schools in the city. Over a six month period there will be tests for infections in schools to find out whether staff and pupils have current or past Covid-19 infections.
Wastewater from school drains will also be monitored to monitor the amount of SARS-Cov2 virus present. This seeks to find out if it can provide an early warning sign of changes in infection levels.
The research findings will jointly create new knowledge and tools to help schools deal with the practical challenges of preventing and coping with an outbreak of Covid-19.
Elisabeth Gilpin, headteacher of St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, one of the Bristol schools taking part in the research project, said:“Being part of this project will help in the safe return of our pupils, many of whom have been learning from home since the beginning of lockdown.
“I am really excited to be involved in the design of a project that will be genuinely helpful to my school, other schools and the Government in helping ensure that students and staff can be as safe as possible in school.
“It gives us another tool that will help us re-build safe boundaries, restore relationships and renew our learning as we have the pleasure of welcoming back all our wonderful young people onto our school site. I feel fortunate we have been asked to take part.”
