Last year we had an interesting Executive Soapbox by Dr Myles Neri of International SOS, looking at the possible implications for education businesses of a flu pandemic.
He pointed out that schools would probably be closed very quickly as happened with the SARS virus, as a way to try and control any outbreak, and that in the workplace basic sanitation protocols (facemasks, hand washing and disinfection) were very important to try and reduce viral infections spreading.
One group who have been quiet about this issue are the DfES, who we assume have been working with other Whitehall departments in planning for such an eventuality. Rather than just focusing on how to minimise the spread of infection the DfES are also looking at how students and schools might be able to offer some form of online/e-learning during a major public health crisis.
This seems eminently sensible and the DfES are already talking to service providers and national bodies like NAACE, and hope to produce a guide for schools, but this requires money. We suspect that keeping students learning during a pandemic might lose out to funding to keep Whitehall’s bean counters alive.
