Kerry schools send some students home after positive Covid-19 tests

A second level school in Kerry has sent students from one class home after a student tested positive for Covid-19.

The student had had limited contact with a small number of peers in a single class in the school and for a limited number of hours before becoming aware of the positive result and at once informed the school.

The school has undergone a disinfection regime and rooms that had been used had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before other classes used them.

Separately, two classes from a primary school where also sent home after a child tested positive. The secondary and primary schools are in the same region of the county.

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In the case of the secondary school, a limited number of students were in contact with the individual student who tested positive and the contact was some days ago and for a limited number of hours. The child had not resumed school with the other classes.

It is understood rooms which had been used had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before full classes resumed and all students returned. A source at the school said it is satisfied that the contact was contained to a small number of students and these have been sent home.

The secondary school is however awaiting HSE advice as to whether it will have to close to all classes and has been liaising closely with the health body.

Further details about the primary school are not known, but both schools are being guided by HSE advice, it is understood.

On Wednesday, a primary school in Co Clare closed due to Covid-19, only a few days after schools re-opened following a six-month lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

And in Dublin, two primary schools sent some pupils home earlier in the week after a child in each school tested positive for the virus.