Inverness primary school confirms covid case among pupils
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
An Inverness primary school has a confirmed positive case of covid among pupils.
NHS Highland and Smithton Primary School have confirmed by email the case to parents this afternoon.
The school's head teacher has asked anyone with concerns to contact her by email, and is proposing an online meeting tomorrow evening.
In a email to parents and carers on the school's webpage, it said: "There is child from our school who has come back with a positive test today. "Unfortunately the letters from the health team didn't come to us in time to make sure the whole school got the letter.
"1-3 classes will get their letters tomorrow."
It continued: We will hold a virtual meeting tomorrow at 6.30pm to answer any questions or to take comments.
"In the meantime please know that we are following all the guidelines, are following our risk assessments and continue with our common sense approach.
"Please try and be as calm as you can be – particularly in front of your children – but don't feel alone - do contact me directly by email if you have any questions or want to share your worries aileen.mackay@highland.gov.uk."
The letter from Dr Jenny Wares, consultant in public health medicine, said: "We have identified a case of Covid–19 in a pupil at the school. We know that you may find this concerning but we are working in close partnership with Mrs Mackay to manage this situation.
"All necessary action has been taken at the school. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child.
"The affected pupil was last in school on Tuesday December 8. Pupils who have been identified as close contacts have been identified and will be self-isolating at home for 14 days."
She continued: "As long as your child is well, and as long as other members of the household have no symptoms and are well, then everyone in the house can all go about their normal business. Anyone who is well and has no symptoms does not need to be tested.
"Hopefully this will not happen but if your child, or any of your household, develops symptoms a test should be booked as soon as possible. Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and further information on testing can be found on the NHS Inform website.
"The whole household should isolate if anyone in the household develops symptoms.
"If a positive case is confirmed in a house, then all other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.
"Household members should not go to work, school, public areas or use public transport.
"Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community."
Dr Wares outlined the most common symptoms of coronavirus as a recent onset of a new continuous cough, high temperature and a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell.
She said: "Please be reassured that for most people, especially for children, coronavirus will be a mild illness."
