LOBBYISTS who doubt the efficacy of face masks as one of many government-made policies to combat coronavirus in schools have vowed to take their campaign to the doors of three senior politicians.

A local chapter of the Us For Them campaign has warned Buckinghamshire Council leader Martin Tett that unless he and two other Cabinet members meet with them to discuss the “harmful policies” impacting their children, it will be forced to deliver its demands to their homes.

The group, believed to number 80 campaigners, claims Cllr Tett and Cabinet colleagues Gareth Williams and Anita Cranmer “ignored” its first request for a meeting.

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It demands the council challenge government guidance for schools and monitor headteachers who may be ‘over-implementing’ the rules.

It fears the impact of the current measures, compounded by the first lockdown, are “devastating” for schoolchildren whose futures face “ruin”.

Sarah Harper, Laura Chapman and Danny Buckingham, all of whom reside in Amersham and Chalfont St Giles, are leading the wider local movement across Amersham and Chesham.

A letter signed by 75 followers demands the council “closely interrogate the data” and produce an impact assessment of the current measures on pupils.

It says a normal level of education is no longer being delivered due to “damaging mask mandates, social distancing measures and disproportionate periods of self-isolation”.

It claims to have “many examples” of local schools over-implementing these “harmful policies”.

“Some schools have language classes with both the teacher and pupils wearing masks – yes really!”: it writes.

It cites another example where schools ‘mandate masks for parents collecting their children in the open air’. Adding: “Not only is this a safeguarding risk but it’s another measure that takes a harmful toll on the wellbeing of children and parents. It also has no evidential basis.”

It also says: “We are not anti-mask for adults, we don’t believe children should be forced to wear masks, for many logical reasons.”

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It also questions the impact on the mental and physical health of children flowing from a halt to afterschool sporting activities.

It says the key problem in education is “no representation of parents”.

“There are clearly huge consequences of the continuing Covid measures on our children and we know from our Facebook group that this is becoming a major issue for local parents,” it writes.

In response, Cllr Tett said: “The council is aware that there are different views on the national analysis about the response to the current Covid pandemic.

“As a council we are advised by Public Health England and our local director of public health.

“We would suggest that the contributors to this letter contact their local MPs if they are seeking changes to national government policy.”

The group says it has had two meetings with Cheryl Gillan MP.

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