Nursery World - Coronavirus: Early years settings and schools no longer expected to carry out contact tracing

From today, early years settings and schools will no longer be responsible for contacting parents about positive cases in their child’s class or bubble, as contact tracing responsibility in education moves to NHS Test and Trace.

The Government is ending most legal Covid restrictions in England from 19 July PHOTO: Adobe Stock

However, they may be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help with identifying close contacts.

The change from 19 July is part of the Government’s relaxation of rules for so-called ‘freedom day’, as the prime minister presses ahead with Step 4 of the Government’s roadmap and removes most remaining legal Covid restrictions.

Updated guidance states that, ‘Close contacts will now be identified via NHS Test and Trace and education settings will no longer be expected to undertake contact tracing.’

Schools may remove bubbles from today, but may keep them until the end of the summer term if they wish. (Some schools in England have already broken up for the summer holidays, the remainder will do so this week.)

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