Addressing parents and members of the community in a post on social media on Tuesday (October 6) Greenhill’s headmaster Mr. Raymond McGovern stated that the individual’s case was directly related to the previous case which was confirmed the previous Friday (October 2).
Track Trace and Protect have now advised the school that they require additional students who may have been in contact with those that have tested positive, to self isolate.
“These additional numbers only involve students in the Sixth Form and goes beyond those strictly defined as being in close contact,” stated Mr. McGovern in a further update given today (Wednesday, October 7).
“Consequently we made the decision last night (Tuesday) that all Sixth Form students would study from home today, whilst we ensured every potential ‘extended contact’ had been identified and informed of the need to self-isolate. This has now been achieved.
“As an additional precautionary measure, the Leadership Team at the school have considered all the options. With the support of the chair of governors, we have made the decision that for the next seven days, the remainder of this half term, all Sixth Form lessons will be delivered virtually; and students will not be required to attend school.
“The intention is that the Sixth Form students will return to school on Monday, November 2 for the commencement of the second half of the autumn term.
“We are confident that all students will be provided with a quality learning experience, via virtual means, to successfully continue with their AS/A2 level studies,” continued the head.
Parents and students of all those who will be required to self-isolate have been contacted the school has stated, whilst siblings of students being required to work from home, or self-isolate who are not symptomatic, can continue to attend school as usual.
If any member of a household is symptomatic then everyone in the household is required to self-isolate and follow the guidance on the Public Health Wales website regarding testing.
Mr. McGovern stated on Tuesday that following guidelines, individuals identified as being in ‘close contact’ with the identified individual had been directed to self-isolate for 14 days.
“Parents and carers of other children, do not need to contact the school to find out if their child has been affected,” he continued.
Following the announcement on Friday of the first positive case at the facility, the school stated that it would be fully operational for the week ahead, having implemented all necessary procedures as guided by Public Health Wales and the local authority, and looked forward to seeing pupils from 8.30 am on Monday, October 5, as usual.
The school has stated that it continues to work with Pembrokeshire County Council, Public Health Wales and Hywel Dda University Health Board to ensure that all possible precautionary measures are in place, to minimise risk of transmission of the virus.
This includes a deep clean of classrooms and communal areas of the school by trained staff. School transport buses and coaches are also being thoroughly cleaned after each journey and deep cleaned weekly.
“We would like to remind everyone of the importance of following Public Health Wales guidance regarding social distancing, good hygiene and the proper wearing of face coverings,” continued Mr. McGovern.
“We will continue to support those who are being required to self-isolate as a precautionary measure so they can continue with their learning.
“The school is in regular contact with those who have tested positive and we are pleased and reassured they are not experiencing significant symptoms and make good progress in terms of their recovery. We wish them well and a speedy return to full health,” he added.
Parents/guardians have been given the following advice by Hywel Dda University Health Board:
If a child/parent/household member develops symptoms of COVID-19, the entire household should immediately self-isolate, and book a test for the individual with the symptoms. It is unnecessary to test the entire household if they are not symptomatic.
The COVID-19 symptoms are:
• a new continuous cough
• a high temperature
• loss of or change to sense of smell or taste
Booking a COVID-19 test:
Hywel Dda University Health Board recommends testing only for those with a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or loss of or change in the sense of taste or smell.
If a child does not have symptoms of COVID-19 but has other cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, they do not need to be tested and they and you do not need to self-isolate. Your child can go to school if fit to do so.
If a COVID-19 test is required, this should be arranged via the UK Booking Portal, https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-test or by ringing 119.
Testing is available within Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire or via a home testing kit delivered to and collected from your home.
The COVID-19 test is undertaken via a throat swab or combined throat and nose swab.
Self-isolation:
It is essential that people who have COVID-19 symptoms, or who share a household with someone who has symptoms, must self-isolate, even if your symptoms are mild.
To protect others, you must not attend school, nursery, other childcare settings, work, or go to or to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
Anyone with symptoms must self-isolate for 10 days from when their symptoms started. They can return to school or work after 10 days if they are well enough to do so. A pupil must remain fever free for at least 48 hrs.
Anyone in the household who does not have symptoms must self-isolate for 14 days from when the first person in the home started having symptoms.
If a parent thinks their child has symptoms BUT chooses not to put them through a test all household members must remain in self-isolation for 14 days from the onset of symptoms.
If you receive a positive test result, you will be contacted by the Test, Trace, Protect Team who will advise you further.
Non-household members/contacts:
If a person has been in contact with an individual experiencing symptoms, they should carry on as normal until that individual receives their test result. If this is positive, the Test, Trace, Protect Team will contact those people identified as contacts and advise accordingly.
Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed the second case of Covid-19 at Ysgol Greenhill.
“The second case has been confirmed from within the group of children who were asked to self-isolate following the first case,” said a spokesperson for the local authority.
“Parents and guardians do not need to contact the school to find out if their child has been affected.”
Clr. Guy Woodham, Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “I want to reassure everyone that a great deal of work has taken place to minimise risk of transmission of the virus in a school setting.
“However, if Covid-19 is suspected or confirmed, procedures are in place to deal with the situation quickly and effectively.”
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