Coronavirus: Willoughby Girls High School closes after positive test
Health bosses have closed a north shore school with immediate effect after a girl tested positive for the deadly coronavirus. Officials are now trying to track down her close contacts in an attempt to stop the spread.
North Shore
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Students at a north shore high school were told to “hide under their desks” after a student tested positive for coronavirus.
Willoughby Girls High School pupils have been sent home after a student tested positive for the deadly virus.
Shortly before midday the school announced it would be shutting for at least the rest of Monday.
It is understood a Year 7 student tested positive having contracted the virus from her mother.
“When you have new cases at a school, it’s cause for concern, because we want to make sure that we move as quickly as possible to require isolation of others who might have had contact with the confirmed cases,” NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard told media on Monday.
“Parents are being notified as we speak that it would be helpful if today you could collect your children.”
The school is attended by more than 900 girls.
A Year 8 student told the North Shore Times teachers informed students of the health alert just after 11am.
“It was at home room which usually goes for 10 minutes but they kept us in for longer – everyone was confused about why the bell didn’t go,” the student said.
“Then there was a lockdown so we all had to hide under the tables.
“Then someone came and asked if anyone had been sick and we all got sent home. We’ve been told to self-isolate for two days.
“Some of (my classmates) were pretty scared but I think it will be okay. It’s probably a good thing we’ve been sent home.”
Staff at the school have told parents they will receive more details in an email on Monday afternoon.
More information is expected to be provided at a press conference this afternoon.
In a statement NSW Department of Education said: “Willoughby Girls High School will be non-operational for the remainder of Monday 9 March and all day on Tuesday 10 March, after a student returned a positive test for COVID-19.
“The student did not attend school today.
“Over the next two days NSW Health will have time to conduct their contact tracing process.
“In accordance with NSW Health advice, staff and students at the school will self-isolate for the next two days while the contact tracing process is finalised.
“The Department of Education will be working with NSW Health to reopen the school as soon as possible.
“The school will be working to minimise disruption to students’ learning.
“The school will keep parents informed during this time.”
Local pharmacist Rebecca El-Khoury, who works at Anderson’s Pharmacy around the corner from the school, said the case was already having a flow on effect to the broader community
“I know one of the mothers (of the school) is a teacher at another school and she had to pick up her daughter - now she can’t go back to work because if her daughter’s sick she has to be quarantined too,” she said.
“I started wearing a mask today after I heard the news – I thought, you know what now is a good time.”
Ms El-Khoury said concerns over the virus has spread among the community.
“We’re getting people asking about (the virus) all the time - there’s a lot of paranoia going around,” she said.
“We’ve had people who may have a tickle in their throat and they’re paranoid they have coronavirus.
“I’ve even heard people saying ‘if I have coronavirus I’m not going to tell anybody because I have to keep on going to work.
“If you’re generally healthy you can quite easily recover from it but if you have an elderly person who lives with you or someone you know is compromised they’re not going be able to recover just as well as a healthy individual would.
“That’s what’s driving a lot of the fear behind it.”