PUBLIC health officials are dealing with 'outbreaks' of Covid in hundreds of schools across Hertfordshire.

In the three weeks since the start of the new term (on January 4) more than 11,000 children and young people (under-19s) in the county have been diagnosed with the virus.

And officials at the county council say they are now dealing with 'outbreaks' of Covid at 352 of Hertfordshire schools.

That is believed to be the highest number of ongoing outbreaks recorded in schools in Hertfordshire at any one time since the start of the pandemic.

And it comes as Covid measures in schools – such as the wearing of face masks in secondary schools – are being eased.

An outbreak is formally recorded whenever five children, pupils, students or staff (or 10 per cent of that group) – who are likely to have mixed closely – test positive for Covid-19 within a 10-day period.

And the number of schools recording outbreaks in the county is understood to have risen steadily since the start of term.

Public health officials from the county council are said to be proactively supporting schools and early years settings – including childminders – to ensure they have an effective outbreak plan.

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Commenting on the position in the county's schools – in light of the changes announced by the government – a spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: "We're working closely with schools and businesses to help them understand and implement the changes announced by the government recently.

"While the Department for Education has removed the requirement for pupils to wear face coverings in classrooms, government guidance is very clear that schools will continue to have discretion to reintroduce face coverings and other measures when there are outbreaks."