BREAKING: Shetland school pupil tests positive for Covid-19

Whiteness Primary School. Photo: Google. 

A school pupil in Shetland has tested positive for Covid-19, the NHS has confirmed. 

NHS Shetland and the SIC said they were taking “all necessary actions to manage the situation”.

The SIC has since confirmed that the child who tested positive is a pupil at Whiteness Primary School.

All parents have been informed and the affected class group has been sent home. 

NHS Shetland’s public health team are now working to identify possible contacts, with the support of SIC’s children’s services.

The SIC’s director of children’s services Helen Budge said:  “We have planned extensively around the possibility of such an incident, and all our schools have measures in place to limit the potential spread of virus. 

“The Whiteness School is currently being cleaned in line with those plans, and we are doing all we can to support the work of the public health team.

Ms Budge added:  “Our primary concern is always the wellbeing of our pupils, our staff and the wider community, and we will obviously continue to monitor the situation to decide whether any further measures are required.”

“The measures that we have in place across all our schools are designed to limit virus spread within premises, including extra cleaning, separation of classes, good hygiene of pupils etc. “

The new case has not been included in the Scottish government’s official figures for today. 

Shetland’s official figure has remained at 57 since 10th September. 

Consultant in public health Shantini Paranjothy said the pupil had been tested after showing symptoms.

“The individual and their family are now all self-isolating,” Prof Paranjothy said. 

“We have worked with them and the school to identify possible contacts who might be at risk and we are working through these.

“This is not an unexpected situation, and we have been planning for cases in schools and other settings, but we must now work closely with Shetland Islands Council and the community to do our best to stop further spread.”

Prof Paranjothy said anyone identified as a contact of a confirmed case will be contacted by the tracing team and required to self-isolate for up to 14 days as a precaution – depending on when their contact with the case was –  and get tested if they develop symptoms.

“Contacts will be given information and advice to help them self-isolate,” Prof Paranjothy added.

“It is important to note that if a contact gets tested and has a negative test result then they must still isolate for the full period.

“We are taking all necessary steps to contain the spread of the virus but it is vital people follow the FACTS guidance to prevent Covid gaining a foothold in Shetland.”

People with Covid-19 symptoms can book a test by filling in the referral form on the NHS Shetland website  (click ‘self refer for Covid test if you have symptoms’)