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Coronavirus: St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School in Panania remains closed

It is still not known when a southwest Sydney primary school will reopen after it closed its doors because someone who attended the campus tested positive for coronavirus.

St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School, Panania, shut after coronavirus fears

A Sydney primary school will remain closed indefinitely for stringent cleaning after a contractor who recently attended the school tested positive for COVID-19.

St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School in Panania remained eerily vacant on Tuesday morning after an independent contractor who addressed 40 staff members at a professional development day was diagnosed with coronavirus.

School principal Jamie Wahab said it was unknown when the school would reopen.

“The cleaning is not finished yet,” Mr Wahab told the Daily Telegraph.

Cleaners ensure classrooms at St Christopher's Catholic Primary School are thoroughly sanitised. Picture: Monique Harmer
Cleaners ensure classrooms at St Christopher's Catholic Primary School are thoroughly sanitised. Picture: Monique Harmer
No desk is left untreated at the Panania school. Picture: Monique Harmer
No desk is left untreated at the Panania school. Picture: Monique Harmer

“We’re following the advice from NSW Health, we don’t know if it will be ready tomorrow but we’ve sent a letter out to parents about that.”

Other schools represented at the session led by the affected contractor were Immaculate Heart of Mary Primary, Sefton, Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, Carnes Hill, and Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary, Bossley Park.

Those schools currently remain open.

On Monday Sydney Catholic Schools director Tony Farley said none of the school’s 605 students had come into contact with the affected contractor during the session on Thursday.

“Yesterday our leadership team decided to close the school for a day and clean up the school and library where the professional development occurred,” Mr Farley said.

“The situation is changing rapidly and ... Catholic schools are ready to teach students online now.”

Other nearby public schools including East Hills Boys High School and Tower Street Public School in Revesby remain operational.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/the-express/coronavirus-st-christophers-catholic-primary-school-in-panania-remains-closed/news-story/f10e05a0ee14db3b071c1c9fc4402bf7