With schools, colleges and universities due to re-open following the summer holidays, parents, guardians and learners in Wales are being asked to take some steps to help keep Covid risk down and learners learning.

Ahead of the start of the new school year, the Welsh Government is asking families and learners to continue to follow guidance on isolating, testing and vaccination, to minimise the risk of the spread of Covid in education settings.

They are urging everyone to get the vaccine if it’s offered to you, maintain regular handwashing, and asking any staff or learner with symptoms of Covid-19 - however mild – to stay at home and book a PCR test at their closest test site.

Staff in primary schools - and staff and learners in secondary schools and colleges - without symptoms should take two lateral flow tests (LFTs), three days apart during the week leading up to their first day back.

If the test is positive they should self-isolate, and book a PCR test.

Going into the new term, staff in primary schools and staff and learners in secondary schools and colleges not showing symptoms should continue to take regular rapid lateral flow tests twice a week, and report the results online.

Learners in Years 7 and above should continue to wear face coverings on school and college transport.

“Taking the tests regularly - especially at times when cases are higher - increases the chance of identifying infectious staff or learners before they leave the house to go to school, and unknowingly spread the virus to their friends or family,” a Welsh Government spokesperson said.