Covid-19 cases at local schools

East Perthshire pupils and staff were asked to self-isolate following a small number of positive Covid-19 cases in two schools recently.

Twenty youngsters at St Stephen’s RC Primary School in Blairgowrie and four members of staff were instructed to stay at home for the mandatory 10-day period after what Perth and Kinross Council described as “fewer than three” positive cases of the virus were discovered.

The cases came to light in the period between March 13 and 23 and were included in a weekly update issued by the council on Friday last week.

A small number of cases – also described as “fewer than three” – was also reported at Blairgowrie High School in the same period, all of which involved staff.

The total number of positive cases across the pupil roll as a whole in Perth and Kinross within the 10-day period was 28.

The figure for staff was five. This means 145 pupils were asked to self-isolate, along with 15 employees, based at a combination of seven different schools and two nurseries.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We take the safety of our children and young people extremely seriously and have robust risk assessments in place to reduce the risk of transmission of coronavirus.

“We have an established process in place to deal with any cases of Covid-19 identified among pupils and staff in our schools in line with national and local health guidance.

“Whenever there is a confirmed case, pupils and staff who are identified as close contacts are asked to self-isolate as a precautionary measure.

“Pupils are supported to learn at home until they can return to school.

“For clarity regarding the figures, there would be no requirement for other pupils and/or staff to self-isolate where no close contacts of confirmed cases have been identified.”