Students sent home over coronavirus concerns

Tuesday 10 March 2020

A group of JCG students who recently visited Italy have been sent home from school and entered self-isolation after official coronavirus advice changed.

In an update to parents, the school described it as a “precaution”, noting that no one on the trip is suffering any symptoms of the illness: cough, fever and shortness of breath.

A total of 19 students travelled to Lucca and Pisa with two teachers at a time when the official advice on Covid-19 only advised against travel to specific towns in the country.

Since their return to Jersey on 7 March, however, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are now saying that anyone arriving to the island from Italy should self-isolate for two weeks – whether they have symptoms or not.

#Italy The FCO now advises against all but essential travel to Italy, due to an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) and in line with various controls and restrictions imposed by the Italian authorities on 9 March https://t.co/0pXPch7ON8 pic.twitter.com/I0B89vpcS2

— FCO travel advice (@FCOtravel) March 9, 2020

Members of the group, including the teachers, returned to school on Monday, but have now been sent home following advice to Principal Carl Howarth from the Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ivan Muscat.

Dr Muscat said “This is a precautionary measure and goes beyond the advice issued by Public Health England. All the students and teachers who travelled to Lucca are well, and anyone who has already mixed with them remains safe. The families of the affected students do not need to self-isolate and there is no need to deep-clean the school. It is only the people who went to Italy who are being asked to take any action.”

They will remain in self-isolation until 21 March, with the pupils provided with work to continue their learning at home.

The news comes after a the first case of coronavirus in the Channel Islands was confirmed in Guernsey yesterday.

Health officials advice update: Anyone arriving from Italy who develops symptoms that could be #Coronavirus should self-isolate and contact the helpline on 01534 445566 for advice.

For the latest updates, go to https://t.co/vulxRxQ6VV#CoronavirusJSY pic.twitter.com/jhv5y610zB

— Government of Jersey (@GovJersey) March 6, 2020

There are no positive cases in Jersey. 84 people have all been tested, with negative results.

In an email communication to parents, Mr Howarth urged parents to be “calm, sensible and considerate to others”.

That message was also given to students in an assembly last week, in which they were given advice to wash their hands at regular intervals and make use of the hand sanitisers around the college which are refilled daily.

Examinations are unaffected at the moment, but the school, as well as others on the island, are in contact with OfQual.

Any students due to take exams have been advised they must be available on the island up to and including 24 June.

Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 managers and team leaders working across the public sector have been ordered to hold compulsory meetings with staff to share advice on how they should respond to the threat of coronavirus.