A CONFIRMED case of COVID-19 at Douglas Ewart High School in Newton Stewart has been identified and is being investigated.
Interim Director of Public Health Valerie White said: “NHS Dumfries and Galloway, Dumfries and Galloway Council and partners have been working in close collaboration to investigate this situation, and inquiries have been taking place.
“As is the case in schools across Dumfries and Galloway, arrangements are in place at Douglas Ewart to limit risk of transmission. This includes physical distancing, use of face coverings and regular hand hygiene, as well as segregations of year groups and classes.
“Risk assessment work has been undertaken on this basis, and the families of potential close contacts have already been notified and provided with guidance.” Parents and carers of all pupils at Douglas Ewart High School have been contacted directly to inform them of the situation. All parents at the school should be assured that this situation is being very closely monitored.
Gillian Brydson is Director for Education and Learning at Dumfries and Galloway Council, and she said: “The safety of pupils and staff within our schools is our utmost priority.
“The full reopening of schools has taken place only following considerable work to mitigate against the risk of COVID transmission, and with preparations well established if there is an identified issue.
“We have a very integrated approach to our COVID-19 response, working in partnership with NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
“The Test and Protect system within our region has proved very robust and effective, and will be employed in this situation.”
Parents/carers of children who are close contacts of a confirmed case will be contacted by the ‘Test and Protect’ team asking them to stay home for 14 days. This 14 days will start from the last exposure, which is likely to be before the confirmed case was tested.
If your child is asked to stay home because they have been in contact with a confirmed case at school, other household members do not need to self-isolate providing all household members are well. Siblings can continue to attend school if they have not been identified as a close contact and no one in the household is unwell.
If you have not been contacted by Test and Protect then your child can continue to attend school providing they and the rest of the household are well.
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they must not come to school. You should arrange for your child to be tested and all household members should stay at home during this time.
Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and further information on testing can be found on NHS Inform.
If the test is positive your child should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared. All other household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days.
Returning from a country that’s on the quarantine list
If your child has returned from a country that is on the quarantine list, please do not send them to school until they have completed the 14 days quarantine period.
Further Information
Further information is available at:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19
https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
