SCHOOLS are facing as 'difficult' time as any during the pandemic as staff grapple with Covid-19, a union leader has said.

Chris Brooksbank, the secretary of Cumbria's National Education Union branch, praised schools for persevering in the face of rising cases and staff shortages.

His comments came with free rapid testing for the virus due to end tomorrow.

There has been a sharp rise in Covid cases among young children, with some schools forced to close temporarily. 

Mr Brooksbank said: "It continues to be a really, really difficult time for schools.

"There have been an awful lot of absences, which are higher now than at any point in time.

"We do have some schools who are considering reintroducing mask-wearing - but it may be difficult when there are politicians who are saying you don't need to wear one."

Mr Brooksbank said school staff should be among those given free lateral flow tests.

He said the area's education workers were 'absolutely worn out' and had been 'left to manage difficult expectations' having not had a 'proper break' for the last two years.

National data released last week said one in ten teachers were absent from school along with more than 200,000 pupils.

Cumbria County Council said in the last two weeks alone, 203 schools or childcare settings in the county have reported positive cases, with eight primary schools either fully or partially closed due to the impact of the virus on staffing levels.

Children aged between zero and four saw the greatest proportional increase in infection rates of any age group during the week (118 per cent), with primary (41 per cent) and secondary school (52 per cent) age children also experiencing large increases.

Claire King, a consultant in public health with Cumbria County Council, said: "There are some basic measures that everyone can take that are effective in helping to reduce the spread of most infections – such as washing your hands regularly using soap and water and using tissues for runny noses, coughs, and sneezes.”