A third of parents in Liverpool refuse to give permission for kids to get Covid test in schools

We can reveal up to a third of parents in Liverpool are refusing to give permission for their kids to get tested in school for Coronavirus.

It comes as local Education bosses are ruling out making facemasks mandatory in secondary schools - for now.

Earlier this week, one secondary school in Liverpool announced plans to hold talks with families on how to enforce the rules, saying they're considering sanctions for children who don't wear coverings.

But Steve Reddy - Director of Children Services at Liverpool Council - reckons the Government should've made the guidance more clear :

"They are being worn in the more public areas but making it mandatory to wear them in class would have been more helpful because we know through the pandemic the clarity of message and reducing ambiguity has been really important.

"At the same time I am conscious that for some the wearing of face coverings can be difficult and we have to make allowances for that as well.

"It's something we need to keep under review but our position, at this stage, is to follow the national guidelines."

Meanwhile, it's been revealed around two thirds of parents have given consent for their children to be tested in school but a small minority haven't given their approval.

Steve says it's still encouraging :

"It rages from sixty five to eighty percent which is really positive compared to what we are seeing elsewhere in the country so a big thank you to all of our parents for supporting that and a big thank you to all of the staff who have managed the logistics."