Government accused of doing 'too little, too late' over CO2 monitors for Torbay's schools
The Department For Education committed to buying 300,000 of them last month to try and prevent the spread of COVID
Last updated 9th Sep 2021
It is reported that none of the CO2 monitors that identify poorly ventilated areas and could help protect against COVID have reached Torbay’s schools.
It has led one councillor to warn of a “too little, too late approach” by the government.
In August the Department for Education committed to spending £25 million on 300,000 monitors to state schools.
But with the school year now underway, Torbay has not received any.
The devices identify areas with poor ventilation by tracking carbon dioxide built up from people’s breath. This in turn shows where covid may be spreading through airborne transmission.
Councillor and schoolteacher Lee Howell (Liberal Democrats, Goodrington-with-Roselands) criticised the delay.
"The fantastic efforts of school staff and the safety measures taken by parents are being jeopardised by a too little, too late approach to air quality by the Conservative government.
"Instead of giving schools what they need to succeed, the government has rashly stopped schools having sensible mitigations and even the most basic COVID precautions. Now, on top of all that, schools are being forced to wait for simple air monitors.
"This cavalier approach to school safety has education secretary Gavin Williamson and Boris Johnson looking more and more adrift, exactly when we need a firm hand in control. But instead of help from government we have dither and delay, over and over again."
Cllr Lee Howell - Lib Dem for Goodrington-with-Roselands
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
"Ventilation is just one measure we are advising schools to take, alongside on-site testing and increased hygiene, to strike the balance between keeping staff, students and families safe and minimising disruption to education.
"Special schools have been prioritised to receive a monitor first given they care for the most vulnerable children, but monitors are being rolled out more widely to all schools as quickly as possible.”
Department for Education
The government has promised that schools will begin to receive monitors over the autumn term.
A Torbay Council spokesperson said the council welcomed the governments offer of CO2 monitors and recommended that secondary school staff and pupils wear face coverings in communal areas.
"We’re awaiting confirmation of the delivery dates of the CO2 monitors and once we receive them, our health and safety teams will liaise with individual schools to support them in their use.
"We will continue to work closely with schools to monitor the results and any modifications that may be required."
Torbay Council