With Septemeber fast approaching it’s a time for many students and teachers alike to bid this years’ summer holidays farewell and prepare for the return of school.
Although, of course, amid a global pandemic, such holidays would have likely been staycations and looking ahead the landscape of the classroom and school for that matter will likely be very different to before.
To assist all with returning to school the UK Government has published their guidance for opening schools. Naturally, these guidelines must be followed for everyone’s safety.
In part the guidance states;
- a requirement that people who are ill stay at home
- robust hand and respiratory hygiene
- enhanced cleaning arrangements
- active engagement with NHS Test and Trace
- formal consideration of how to reduce contacts and maximise distancing between those in school wherever possible and minimise potential for contamination so far as is reasonably practicable
How can schools improve hygiene levels?
With the UK Government outlining that that ‘robust hand hygiene’ should be implemented, schools could benefit from clear safety signage, such as Please Wash Your Hands, and or, Please Use Hand Sanitiser. With clear pictograms depicted, Covid-19 safety signage can really help to reinforce the message to students and even teachers too.
How can schools implement social distancing?
Granted, we’re under no illusions that this will be a huge challenge, especially for children of primary school age!
While again we appreciate this is no easy task, we have a range of school kids size 2M social distancing floor stencils for outdoor use, along with a range of other outdoor floor stencils for Covid-19 social distancing.
Of course, our floor stencils are just one method to help you maintain social distancing, other measures should always be communicated to students and the latest Government guidelines where possible always be adhered to.
Introducing enhanced cleaning
One of the other key points from the latest guidance include the need to “introduce enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces often, using standard products such as detergents and bleach”.
While it’s a given that it would be a good idea to implement a clear internal routine for enhanced cleaning frequently, Coronavirus safety signs can again play a pivotal role.
Safety signs such as Avoid touching unless necessary and Ensure everything is cleaned before and after use can complement any cleaning routines that you undertake.
Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment
Finally, one of the last key action points from the guidelines for schools states “where necessary, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)”.
Thankfully, we have a mandatory PPE signs product category, which has a wide range of PPE safety signs such as Hand protection must be worn signs, and reminders to wear face masks.
In summary, while returning to school will undoubtedly be a challenge for students and teachers alike, safety signs while they may not be the sole answer, they can help to implement the measures outlined by the Government and act as a reminder to all.