Nursery World - Calls for clarification on changes to Covid rules for under-fives amid rising cases and Omicron uncertainty

Children under five who are close contacts of a positive Covid case no longer need to take a test or self-isolate, according to updated government guidance, leading to calls from the sector for clarification of the guidance.

Children aged five- to 18 can now take daily lateral flow tests for seven days instead of self-isolating - but there are no measures in place for under-fives PHOTO Adobe Stock

Nurseries are concerned about the lack of safeguards when there is so little known about the new Omicron variant and what it means in terms of infection in settings and the impact on children.

The Early Years Alliance said it ‘beggars belief’ that the government had changed the rules without ‘putting in place any alternative mitigation measures’, particularly given the speed and spread of the Omicron variant and the sharp rise in cases in early years settings.

Figures released on Monday by Ofsted show that reports of Covid cases in early years settings were at an all-time high, with 2,707 reports of cases in the week commencing 22 November 2021, up 38 per cent from 1,960 the previous week.

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