Children and school staff may have to isolate over Christmas after a person linked with a Dundee nursery school tested positive for coronavirus.
Parents have said they were informed of the positive case at Mill O’ Mains Primary School’s nursery class this morning and were asked to keep their children at home.
Schools in the city closed at noon for the Christmas break, and only children of keyworkers and vulnerable young people will return to class on January 7.
Close contacts will have to quarantine for at least 10 days, leading to fears they could miss out on the festive period.
A concerned parent told us: “It’s an extra stressful time and people are disappointed that they weren’t going to be seeing family.
“Now the kids will be isolating instead of playing on their bikes or with their other new toys and enjoying this time of year.”
Dundee City Council did not confirm how many children and school staff were likely to be affected by the positive case.
A council spokesman said: “We are aware of a case connected with the school and have been working closely with NHS Tayside.
“With the assistance of public health, we are ensuring that the appropriate measures are taken.
“The school has communicated with all families in its community directly about this.”
Four schools in Fife have also reported new cases of the virus since Monday, December 21.
Additional COVID-19 cases are being investigated at the following schools since the last update on Monday.
🔵Balcurvie Primary
🔵Buckhaven Primary
🔵Carnegie Primary
🔵Glenrothes High Schoolhttps://t.co/fxknSYPFbQ pic.twitter.com/JsS8UGkO0O— NHS Fife (@nhsfife) December 22, 2020
There are two positive cases associated with Buckhaven Primary School and single cases at Balcurvie Primary School in Windygates, Carnegie Primary School, in Dunfermline, and Glenrothes High School.
NHS Fife said: “Where there is more than one confirmed case, this does not necessarily suggest transmission within the school and may relate to a sibling or household group, or it may be separate incidences of community-acquired infection.”
Schools in Tayside and Fife will not restart for most pupils until January 11 amid fears over the transmissibility of a new strain of Covid-19.
Instead, pupils will learn from home until at least January 18, the Scottish Government have said.
