Schools to reopen as planned in Jersey

Schools in Jersey will reopen as planned on Tuesday 4 January.

Staff in schools, childcare and early years settings are being offered PCR tests on the 1, 2 or 3 January ahead of the return of nurseries, schools and colleges.

Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) and Public Health continue to monitor the situation.

The island's Health Minister made the announcement on the same day that Covid isolation times were reduced from 10 days to seven for fully vaccinated islanders.

The government told ITV Channel TV that students will be expected to continue taking regular lateral flow tests.

Deputy Richard Renouf hopes the changes to isolation times will lift the burden on businesses and frontline services which have been impacted by staff shortages.

It brings the Jersey in line with the policies in both Guernsey and England.

For the purposes of isolation, 'fully vaccinated' direct contacts will be classed as those who meet the following criteria:

• Aged 18 years and over: Three doses and two weeks since last vaccination

• Aged 12 to 17 years: Two doses and Two weeks since last vaccination

The same definition of 'fully vaccinated' for travellers to Jersey will come into effect on Tuesday 4 January.

Meanwhile students and staff in Guernsey will be required to provide a negative lateral flow test result before returning to school in the new year.

The requirements follow a significant increase in coronavirus cases in the island.

Students and staff will also need to provide negative lateral flow test results on day one, two and three of the new school term.