19-07-2021, 08:00 AM
SINGAPORE — Four students, one staff member and one stall assistant from six schools have tested positive for Covid-19.
The students who contracted the disease comprise two Primary 6 pupils, one from Naval Base Primary School and the other from Opera Estate Primary School, a Pri 3 student from Punggol Cove Primary School and a Pri 2 pupil from Yangzheng Primary School.
The staff member is from Horizon Primary School, which is in Punggol, while the stall assistant is from Raffles Institution.
The student from Naval Base Primary, a school in Yishun, was identified as a close contact of an infected person from the same household.
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The Punggol Cove student and the Horizon Primary staff member are household members of confirmed cases.
The source of infection is not clear for the student from Opera Estate Primary, which is in Siglap, the student from Yangzheng, a school in Serangoon Avenue 3, and the RI stall assistant.
All six schools have sent circulars to parents of their students, informing them that close contacts will be identified through contact tracing conducted by the schools as well as the information gathered through students' TraceTogether tokens or apps.
TODAY has confirmed the veracity of the circulars with the Ministry of Education (MOE).
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The schools said that close contacts of the infected students will be contacted directly by the Ministry of Health, and they will then be told what they need to do.
In the circulars seen by TODAY, the schools asked parents to inform the schools promptly if they are contacted, "as this is on top of the contact tracing conducted by the school".
Students and staff who had been in close contact with the infected students have been placed on leave of absence.
The schools assured parents that they will continue to "tightly implement safe management measures". All six schools said that they have cleaned and disinfected their premises.
Punggol Cove Primary said in its circular dated July 18 that it will be conducting full home-based learning for all its Pri 3 students on Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday is a public holiday. Students from all other levels will continue going to school as usual.
Yangzheng Primary, which sent its memo on the same day, is making similar arrangements for its Pri 2 students.
RI said it is conducting deep cleaning and disinfection at its Year 1-4 school canteen, which is where the stall assistant works, on Monday. All Year 1-4 students will be on home-based learning on that day.
The circulars from Naval Base and Opera Estate primary schools, which were dated July 16, did not mention home-based learning or any change to their operations.
In response to TODAY's queries, an MOE spokesperson said that schools will take the necessary measures if they have confirmed cases.
These measures include implementing home-based learning by class and level, as well as having close contacts of these confirmed cases put on a leave of absence or on quarantine order.
In addition, staff and students who receive the "health risk warning" or "health risk alert" SMS notification from MOH will also be subject to the health ministry's guidelines on the public health actions required of such individuals.
MOE said it is monitoring the situation closely and will review if any adjustment to safety measures in school is needed.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/co...t-positive
The students who contracted the disease comprise two Primary 6 pupils, one from Naval Base Primary School and the other from Opera Estate Primary School, a Pri 3 student from Punggol Cove Primary School and a Pri 2 pupil from Yangzheng Primary School.
The staff member is from Horizon Primary School, which is in Punggol, while the stall assistant is from Raffles Institution.
The student from Naval Base Primary, a school in Yishun, was identified as a close contact of an infected person from the same household.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT
The Punggol Cove student and the Horizon Primary staff member are household members of confirmed cases.
The source of infection is not clear for the student from Opera Estate Primary, which is in Siglap, the student from Yangzheng, a school in Serangoon Avenue 3, and the RI stall assistant.
All six schools have sent circulars to parents of their students, informing them that close contacts will be identified through contact tracing conducted by the schools as well as the information gathered through students' TraceTogether tokens or apps.
TODAY has confirmed the veracity of the circulars with the Ministry of Education (MOE).
Subscribe to our email newsletter
SUBSCRIBE
By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.
The schools said that close contacts of the infected students will be contacted directly by the Ministry of Health, and they will then be told what they need to do.
In the circulars seen by TODAY, the schools asked parents to inform the schools promptly if they are contacted, "as this is on top of the contact tracing conducted by the school".
Students and staff who had been in close contact with the infected students have been placed on leave of absence.
The schools assured parents that they will continue to "tightly implement safe management measures". All six schools said that they have cleaned and disinfected their premises.
Punggol Cove Primary said in its circular dated July 18 that it will be conducting full home-based learning for all its Pri 3 students on Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday is a public holiday. Students from all other levels will continue going to school as usual.
Yangzheng Primary, which sent its memo on the same day, is making similar arrangements for its Pri 2 students.
RI said it is conducting deep cleaning and disinfection at its Year 1-4 school canteen, which is where the stall assistant works, on Monday. All Year 1-4 students will be on home-based learning on that day.
The circulars from Naval Base and Opera Estate primary schools, which were dated July 16, did not mention home-based learning or any change to their operations.
In response to TODAY's queries, an MOE spokesperson said that schools will take the necessary measures if they have confirmed cases.
These measures include implementing home-based learning by class and level, as well as having close contacts of these confirmed cases put on a leave of absence or on quarantine order.
In addition, staff and students who receive the "health risk warning" or "health risk alert" SMS notification from MOH will also be subject to the health ministry's guidelines on the public health actions required of such individuals.
MOE said it is monitoring the situation closely and will review if any adjustment to safety measures in school is needed.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/co...t-positive
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