Schools in Nantwich and Sandbach schools send pupils and staff home amid fears of Coronavirus

Brine Leas School in Nantwich closes its sixth form after teachers and pupils are self-quarantined over coronavirus fears.

Brine Leas School in Nantwich closed its sixth form today after teachers and pupils self-quarantined over coronavirus fears after returning from a ski trip to Northern Italy.

Sandbach High School also sent staff and pupils home, after they returned from a school ski trip in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy.

It is understood 12 teachers and about 100 students at the Nantwich school, who were on the ski trip last week, have been told to stay at home for 14 days.

Brine Leas has taken the decision to close the sixth form due to staff shortages. The rest of the school remained open.

Sandbach High School has sent home staff and pupils who were on a school ski trip to Aprica. They posted on their website: “The latest advice from Public Health England and NHS 111 is that the students and staff who went on the school ski trip during half term to Aprica (Northern Italy, Lombardy region) are to stay indoors, self-isolate, ring 111 to get further information. No one in the school is presenting with any coronavirus symptoms; but they are following advice from Public Health England and NHS 111."

Cheshire East Council is liaising closely with both schools to offer appropriate support.

Dr Matt Tyrer, acting director of public health at Cheshire East Council, said: “We are in regular contact with Public Health England to ensure that the very latest guidance for returning travellers is implemented, as the situation continues to develop. We would stress that there are currently no cases of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) identified in Cheshire East."

“Prevention is always better than cure so, as with the flu virus, the most effective way for people to protect themselves from Covid-19 is to adopt good respiratory and hand hygiene to prevent the risk of infection and a ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach to coughs and sneezes. As the situation develops guidance is updated daily.”

“We are liaising closely with Brine Leas School and Sandbach High School to offer appropriate support and guidance to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and the public.

“The schools have sent home those staff and pupils who have just returned from trips to Italy as a precautionary measure. However, it should be noted the trips did not visit an area specified as a controlled area by the Italian government.”

It is currently unclear whether Brine Leas would be re-opening its sixth form on Wednesday.

The Government says as of February 24th, a total of 6,536 people have been tested for Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK, and nine tested positive.

These figures do not include the four confirmed cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship who arrived in the UK and received test results from Japan.

For the latest information for the public, including returning travellers, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public