SCHOOLS, nurseries and universities in Scotland will not fully re-open until a vaccine or effective treatment for Covid-19 is found or the virus has been suppressed to “very low levels”, according to the Scottish Government’s route map on exiting the lockdown.
The document confirms what EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan told The National earlier this week – that a part-time model for pupils attending school would be in place for the long term.
READ MORE: Scottish school pupils will be part-time until vaccine, says union boss
Explaining the conditions for entry into the fourth and final exit phase, the route map says: “In this, the final phase in our transition through the crisis, the virus remains suppressed to very low levels and is no longer considered a significant threat to public health, but society remains safety conscious.
“All WHO criteria continues to be met. A vaccine and/or effective treatment may have been developed ... It could be many months, or longer, until we reach this phase.”
The document goes on to explain the activities which would finally resume in this last phase.
It says: “Schools and childcare settings: Schools and childcare provision would be operating with any necessary precautions. College and university campuses would be fully open – including key student services – with any necessary precautions.”
The route map adds that it is in this final phase that all shops, restaurants and pubs could re-open, along with mass gatherings and ceremonies such as large weddings, but that public health advice would remain in place.
“Shopping, eating out and drinking: All types of outlets would be open,” it says. “Sport, culture and leisure: There would be a further relaxation of restrictions on live events ...
“Mass gatherings could resume in line with public health advice. All ceremonies could now take place with any necessary precautions.”
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