School transport specialist Kura is working to keep pupils safe with the launch of a free contact tracing service for schools and parents this Autumn.
The system will work by providing schools with contact tracing reports. These will provide the data to identify students in contact with any pupil confirmed or suspected to show symptoms of coronavirus COVID-19 during journeys to and from school. The reports will be available until 31 August and can be obtained by contacting hello@ridekura.com
Kura hopes the introduction of the service will help boost parent confidence after research for its Green School Run Guide saw a surge in internet searches for track and trace measures in schools. Google searches for ‘school track and trace’ jumped by 79% over June and July, it said. In addition, one in five parents reportedly said they would be reassured if able to track their child’s journey each day.
Kura CEO Godfrey Ryan says: “Despite government reassurance that pupils and staff will be safe once at school, there is still parental concern over the safety, reliability and availability of public transport for the school run, especially as workers are encouraged to return to the office.
“Many children will simply not be able to walk, cycle or car share to and from school, meaning parents must use public transport or drive their kids to school themselves, the latter potentially disrupting their day and increasing traffic and emissions outside the school gates.
“Our existing, proven Kura technology can enable this contact tracing on school journeys, providing parental reassurance and, along with other preventative measures, ensure children can travel to school safely.”
Kura also offers a free guide to minimising the risk of transmission of the virus and social distancing options for typical vehicle sizes, based on government advice.
