Translate the text from Welsh to English.



 
Mae'r traweffaith Covid\-19 ar iechyd, yr economi a chymdeithas wedi bod yn sylweddol. I nifer o blant a phobl ifanc mae traweffaith negyddol wedi bod ar eu hiechyd corfforol a meddyliol, oherwydd y cyfyngiadau a gyflwynwyd i leihau trosglwyddo. Mae'r cyfyngiadau hyn hefyd wedi cael effaith sylweddol ar addysg plant.


Roedd symud i ddysgu ar\-lein ar gyfer plant ysgol (ac eithrio plant sy'n agored i niwed a phlant gweithwyr hanfodol) yn benderfyniad anodd a wnaed gan Weinidogion er mwyn lleihau trosglwyddo COVID\-19 yn y gymuned gan gynnwys y risgiau sy’n gysylltiedig â theithio i'r ysgol ac yn ôl a chymysgu cymdeithasol y tu allan i amgylchedd yr ystafell ddosbarth. Mae diogelu gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol hanfodol yn parhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth, yn enwedig mewn ymateb i'r bygythiad cynyddol a achosir gan amrywiolion mwy heintus ac mae hyn wedi arwain at gyfyngiadau parhaus ar addysg wyneb yn wyneb a chau sectorau eraill.


Mae'r potensial i lacio'r cyfyngiadau yn parhau i fod wedi ei gyfyngu gan yr amrywiolyn newydd, sy'n fwy trosglwyddadwy. Fodd bynnag, gyda Rt yn is na 1 ar hyn o bryd, dylid neilltuo’r hyblygrwydd er mwyn i blant ysgol gynradd allu dychwelyd yn raddol er enghraifft, gan ddechrau gyda phlant yn y Cyfnod Sylfaen, sydd â risg is o haint, a phlant ysgol uwchradd, mewn carfannau bach a drwy ddefnyddio dull dysgu cyfunol.


Mae tystiolaeth yn awgrymu bod ysgolion wedi llwyddo i ddarparu amgylchedd diogel i blant ac athrawon. Mae mesurau lliniaru effeithiol yn bwysicach nag erioed gydag amrywiolyn mwy trosglwyddadwy a dylid parhau a chryfhau'r rhain lle y bo'n bosibl. Mae'r mesurau lliniaru hyn yn cynnwys lleihau'r niferoedd sy'n cymysgu ar unrhyw un adeg ac mewn unrhyw le; cynnal grwpiau cyswllt diogel; ymbellhau cymdeithasol gofalus; hylendid dwylo a defnyddio gorchuddion wyneb fel y nodir yn y canllawiau.


Yn seiliedig ar ein dealltwriaeth o ble mae'r risg o drosglwyddo fwyaf, rhaid dilyn cyfyngiadau y tu allan i'r ysgol sy'n union yr un fath â'r gofynion 'Aros Gartref' sy’n berthnasol i’r boblogaeth gyffredinol yn drylwyr. Rhaid cael dealltwriaeth glir mai dim ond yn yr ysgol y mae grwpiau cyswllt ("swigod ysgol") yn berthnasol. Dylid pwysleisio pwysigrwydd osgoi trosglwyddo rhwng athrawon, yn ogystal â rhwng staff a disgyblion. 


Dr Frank Atherton  

Prif Swyddog Meddygol  

5 Chwefror 2021







Translation:


 
The impacts of COVID\-19 have been significant on health, the economy and society. For many children and young people there have been negative impacts on both their physical and mental health, due to the restrictions brought in to reduce transmission. These restrictions have also had a major impact on the education of children. 


Moving to on\-line learning for school children (except vulnerable children and children of critical workers) was a difficult decision which Ministers made in order to reduce community transmission of COVID\-19 including the associated  risks of travel to and from school and social mixing outside of the classroom environment. Protecting essential health and social care services continues to be a priority, especially in response to the increased threat posed by more infectious variants and has led to on\-going restrictions on face to face education and the closure of other sectors. 


The potential to relax restrictions remains limited by the new variant, which is more transmissible. However, with Rt currently below 1, any headroom should be dedicated to a phased return of primary school children for example, starting with children in the foundation phase, who have a lower risk of infection, and secondary school children, in small cohorts and employing a blended learning approach.  


Evidence suggests that schools have been successful in providing safe environments for children and teachers. Effective mitigations are more important than ever with a more transmissible variant and these should continue and be strengthened where possible. These mitigations include reducing the numbers mixing at any one time and in any one place; maintaining secure contact groups; vigilant social distancing; hand hygiene and the use of face coverings as set out in the guidance. 


Based on our understanding of where transmission risk is greatest, out of school restrictions identical to those ‘Stay at Home’ requirements imposed on the general population, must be applied rigorously. There must be a clear understanding that contact groups ('school bubbles') only apply within the school setting. The importance of avoiding transmission between teachers, as well as between staff and pupils should be emphasised.


Dr Frank Atherton  

Chief Medical Officer   

5th February 2021