A school’s response to a case of covid-19 among its staff was praised as an example of “best practice”.
Acting director of families, children and learning, Deb Austin told Brighton and Hove City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board, how the case at Cardinal Newman Catholic School in The Upper Drive, “showed how well the situation responded.
During the virtual meeting on Tuesday 8 September, she said the teaching assistant’s positive result on Friday had led to 47 children and four staff going into isolation for 14 days.
While councillors met, the school informed parents another staff member had tested positive and more pupils were being asked to self-isolate.
Ms Austin said: “The situation was really well managed by the headteacher.
“They have looked at any learning that could be taken from their experience and shared that across the secondary head network to promote best practice.
“We’ve also had excellent support from public health colleagues both from the council and the Public Health England health protection team.”
On Tuesday, 8 September, 20,816 pupils were in schools in the city. Of these 13,275 were in primary schools and 7,398 at secondary schools. Not all year groups in all schools are currently in school.
Ms Austin said a range of measures are in place to protect school children, including class bubbles, staggered starts, and children attending school wearing their PE kit so they will not have to change.
The board heard from the city’s director of public health, Alistair Hill, how the majority of new covid-19 cases in Brighton and Hove are transmitted between households.
Tracking and tracing information provided by people testing positive for covid-19 in the city verified new cases have occurred where households mixed and often people had travelled abroad.
There have not been significant outbreaks linked with restaurants, pubs or other workplaces.
While individuals at some workplaces have tested positive, the virus hasn’t been spreading to colleagues or customers.
Mr Hill said: “The most common categories of exposure for contacts who have been exposed to cases remain household, visitors and visiting friends and family, rather than any particular venue or outside locations within the city.
“We have seen cases with a history of recent foreign travel, countries with relatively high prevalence compared with the UK. From people returning from summer holidays.”
However, the authority does not have any legal powers to ensure people quarantine themselves when required.
