P-06-1279 End inconsistency in Covid guidance. Let schools have the same flexibility as cinemas or stadiums

This petition was submitted by Catherine Anne Stone, having collected a total of 421 signatures.

Text of Petition:

If parents can attend the rugby or the cinema with a Covid pass they should be able to attend a school concert or event. Current Covid-19 guidance for schools recommends that close interactions between adults, staff and learners is reduced. As a result, schools don’t have the flexibility to invite parents/carers into school. This is despite theatres, cinemas and rugby stadiums all being open for business. I am asking the Welsh Government to reconsider the guidance for schools.

Additional Information:

Lateral flow tests and covid passes are in active use, and the booster vaccination scheme is already well underway.

Thousands of fans used these methods to gain entry to the Principality Stadium on 30th October, to attend the Wales vs New Zealand match.

https://gov.wales/use-nhs-covid-pass-attend-large-events-and-venues

Our local primary schools had to close their doors for sports days, have struggled to fundraise due to the guidance around social distancing, and are now being told that the guidance for a consecutive season of Christmas concerts is the same in that parents cannot attend.

https://gov.wales/local-covid-19-infection-control-decision-framework-schools-autumn-2021-html

Mental wellbeing of children has taken a decline due to the uncertainty and isolation. We should be supporting our children with return to normality too.

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/supporting-others/childrens-mental-health/

https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/374/bmj.n1730.full.pdf.

Senedd Constituency and Region

· Vale of Glamorgan

· South Wales Central