There have been 2 new positive cases of COVID-19 identified within Government schools.

One positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in St Joseph’s Upper Primary School and one has been identified in Bayside School.

The Contact Tracing team have been liaising with staff at both schools and the Department of Education and have conducted interviews with relevant individuals. All individuals who have been identified as close contacts of the positive cases have been informed that they are required to self isolate.

Close contact is defined as close proximity within an enclosed area for a period of time longer than 15 minutes.

The latest available information is as follows:

St Joseph’s

This is the first case identified within this school. 9 individuals within the school setting (5 staff members and 4 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the positive case and all have been instructed to self isolate.

Bayside

This is the third case identified within this school. There is no identified epidemiological link between this positive case and the first case. 30 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 30 students) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the positive case and all have been instructed to self isolate.

Individuals who have specific concerns arising from any of this information are asked to contact the relevant Head Teacher.

Parents are reminded that children and young people with COVID-19 symptoms should not attend school. They should stay at home, self-isolate and call 111.

Pupils in both the above mentioned schools should continue to attend school as normal if they have not been contacted by the Contact Tracing Bureau.

Close contacts and siblings of pupils who have been asked to self-isolate should attend school as normal unless otherwise advised by the Contact Tracing Bureau.