Coronavirus NSW: Merrylands, Bonnyrigg, Bossley Park schools shut
The second surge of COVID-19 gripping NSW has forced the closure of three Catholic schools in western Sydney after four children contracted the virus.
Parramatta
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The second surge of COVID-19 gripping NSW has forced the closure of three Catholic schools — Cerdon College at Merrylands, Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School at Bossley Park and Freeman Catholic College at Bonnyrigg Heights — after four children contracted the virus.
The four cases are linked with the Thai Rock restaurant at Stockland Wetherill Park – where the cluster has grown to more than 50. Two cases have also been linked to Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral at Harris Park.
Two of the cases attended Cerdon College and one each attended the Bossley Park and Bonnyrigg Heights schools.
The schools are closed while contact tracing and cleaning is under way.
Close contacts of all the cases are being notified to undertake 14 day self-isolation after their last contact with the cases and undertake testing for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms.
NSW Health said all other children, staff, and families of those who attend or work at these schools are encouraged to seek testing.
While most cases have been linked to known clusters, community transmission continues and NSW Health is calling on people across the state to redouble their efforts to stop the virus spreading.
Key messages for the community are
● Avoid non-essential travel and gatherings. Of particular concern is transmission in venues such as hotels and restaurants, the gym and social gatherings.
● Anyone feeling unwell – even with the mildest of symptoms such as a runny nose or scratchy throat – must seek testing and self-isolate until they get the result. Stay at home, and do not go to work or catch public transport until you are cleared of COVID-19
● At all times stay 1.5m from other people. Don’t go anywhere there is crowding.
● Clean your hands regularly with soap and running water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
● Cough and sneeze into your elbow.
● Don’t host, or go to, a gathering of more than 10 people at home.
● Don’t go to the gym unless the equipment is thoroughly cleaned before and after customer use by supervising staff or yourself, and there is good spacing between machines and customers.
Consider using a mask in situations where you are unable to social distance.