A Kent MP is among dozens pressing the government to lift Covid restrictions on schools later this month, saying they are too disruptive and are adversely affecting children's education.

The call comes despite the infection rates apparently increasing in schools and leading to large numbers being absent from lessons.

MP Craig Mackinlay is calling for children to come out of isolation

KentOnline revealed this week how close to 12,000 children were absent from school in one week in June because of the virus and because of the need to follow government rules.

Thanet South MP Craig Mackinlay is among those who feel the restrictions go too far and that the government should not wait until the autumn to ease back on some restrictions and should lift them on July 19.

He was among 48 MPs who have signed a letter calling on the government to to end the restrictions.

He said: “We cannot have a zero-covid policy; this disease is going to stay with us.

"If we continue this policy of whenever her a child is infected, we close down the class; close down that year group or even close the school, then the damage is never going to stop.

"We have lost a billion days of schooling because of this pandemic and children have suffered terribly and we need to get back to some kind of normality otherwise we will be in this muddle forever."

It was not just children who were impacted but parents who were having to to stay away from work to look after them, meaning the economy was also being affected indirectly, he added.

He argued the easing of restrictions should be implemented before the summer holiday, saying he agreed with the Education secretary Gavin Williamson and others when they said every day out of school caused some damage.

“More and more evidence is coming out that the home working situation is not working for those who are socially disadvantaged. Everyday does matter and we cannot keep putting it off,” he said.

A letter signed by 48 MPs says: “Children have sacrificed so much to keep the country safe during the pandemic... So it is vital that all schools go back to normal from 19th July when restrictions lift, even if just for the last few days of term.”

They said the rules around bubbles and isolation were “causing unnecessary and significant disruptions” and were disproportionate and “unsustainable”.

Several Kent schools have in recent weeks had to send whole classes home because of Covid-19 but as yet no schools have been forced to close completely.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said he would like to to ease the restrictions from September after the summer holidays, but that does not come soon enough for MPs.

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