EVERY secondary and additional needs school in the city began coronavirus contact tracing this year, the Glasgow Times can reveal.
Figures obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show the tracing system was used to identify contacts at all 41 of the city’s additional support for learning campuses and all 37 of Glasgow’s public high schools.
The information, provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, shows Test and Protect teams worked to prevent transmission of the virus at each learning facility.
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Test and Protect – Scotland’s approach to implementing the “test, trace, isolate, support” strategy – is a public health measure designed to break chains of Covid-19 spreading to the wider community.
As part of the procedure in attempting to eliminate the virus, pupils at every school contacted through the system were asked to self-isolate.
A union that represents Glasgow’s teaching staff has said the findings come as “no surprise” as it stressed the importance of risk assessments being conducted at each of the city schools.
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Glasgow Secretary for the Educational Institute of Scotland Susan Quinn said: “This comes as no surprise as we know Covid impacts urban areas the most.
“We have challenged the Scottish Government to look more closely at areas which went into Level Four with regards to school safety as working on Scottish averages can give a misleading impression.
“Covid also impacts areas of deprivation disproportionately and, unfortunately, Glasgow continues to have too many such areas.
“It is vital school risk assessments are in place. Where these aren’t working to mitigate against the virus then we would expect them to move to blended or remote learning.”
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “Our schools have continued to work with public health experts effectively and efficiently when cases identified with an agreed process in place since schools returned in August.
“School staff need to be thanked for doing an amazing job in very challenging circumstances.”
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