Staff to pupil COVID transmission confirmed at Fife school

Total cases rise to seven as pupils told to stay home

Sinclairtown Primary

A Kirkcaldy primary school will stay closed after it emerged that positive cases of COVID-19 have transmitted from staff to pupils.

There are now seven confirmed cases linked to Sinclairtown Primary which will stay shut until at least Monday.

But some pupils have already been told to stay away until the beginning of next month.

Sinclairtown is the ninth Fife school in the last ten days to be impacted by the virus.

A small number of classes were told to stay home on Monday, before the whole school was closed 48 hours later.

NHSFife has now confirmed that two pupils and two more staff members tested positive - and said there is evidence of limited staff-to-pupil transmission in some classes.

Pupils in P1Aa, P2 and P4 who have previously been identified as potential contacts have been told to continue to isolate at home as a precaution.

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Pupils in P5A must now isolate until October 5 - with a return to school the following day

All other pupils do not need to isolate but must not attend school.

All positive cases continue to experience mild symptoms, and are isolating at home with other household members.

A statement from NHSFife said: “The pupils who have now tested positive were amongst those previously asked to isolate after being in prolonged close contact with a positive case.

“While there is no evidence of widespread transmission of the virus within the school, there is now evidence of limited staff-to-pupil transmission within some classes. "

Fife’s Health Protection Team is currently investigating any links between the positive cases.

Contact tracers from the Test and Protect Team are in the process of identifying and tracing the known contacts of all positive cases to provide public health support and advice.

Anyone who develops any of the established symptoms of the virus, such as a fever; or a loss or change in taste or smell; or a new and continuous cough, should arrange a test via the link below or by calling 0800 028 2816

www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test

Q&A for parents and carers:

www.fife.gov.uk/schoolcovidfaqs

Local information on testing

https://coronavirus.nhsfife.org/

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