Confirmed coronavirus Covid-19 case at Tain Royal Academy in Easter Ross prompts letter to parents
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A CONFIRMED cased of Covid-19 at an Easter Ross secondary school has been notified to parents and carers.
The NHS Highland Health Protection Team was notified of the confirmed case at Tain Royal Academy.
One of the school's S2 pupils has picked up the virus and was last in school on Thursday of last week. Contact tracing is under way and close contacts will be asked to isolate themselves for 14 days.
Dr Tim Allison, director of public health, wrote to parents: "We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with the head teacher. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child.
"The affected pupil was last at school on Thursday, November 5. Contact tracing is now under way. Pupils who have been identified as close contacts during the school day will be contacted directly and should self-isolate at home for 14 days. They can return to school on Friday, November 20.
"All other pupils in S1-S6 can continue to attend school as normal if they remain well."
The public health team says to parents that as long as their child is well, and as long as other members of the household have no symptoms, and are well, "then everyone else in the house can all go about their normal business, go to work and school etc".
It says that anyone who is well and has no symptoms does not need to be tested.
Children who do develop Covid-19 symptoms should have arrangements made for a test as soon as possible.
Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and further information on testing can be found on NHS Inform.
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.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-test-and-protect/pages/who-needs-to-self-
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.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) are recent onset of:
•new continuous cough and/or
•high temperature
•a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
Health chiefs say that for most people, especially for children, coronavirus (Covid-19) will be a mild illness.
Related: Confirmed Covid-19 case at Highland secondary
