Thursday 28 March 2024
 6.8°C   ENE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Coronavirus / School staff member among cluster of Yell Covid cases

Photo © Mike Pennington (cc-by-sa/2.0)

A MEMBER of staff at Mid Yell Junior High School has tested positive for coronavirus, with more than 20 people on the island now isolating.

Public health principal Elizabeth Robinson said all contact tracing was now complete.

Remote learning will continue for all pupils of Mid Yell Junior High School with online and offline learning, and the school is being deep cleaned.

NHS Shetland staff are due to visit Yell today (Friday) to undertake swab tests for anyone who is a contact, and anyone in the community with concerns.

Robinson said the health board was notified of the positive test on Wednesday night. There were already a number of cases on the island.

“Thankfully there weren’t too many bairns in the school at this time, because home schooling is meant to be what’s happening for most people,” she said.

Robinson said it is believed to be more of an extended family cluster situation.

The council said that children of key workers and those who require support have been contacted regarding this provision and therefore there will be no in-school provision today (Friday), Monday and Tuesday at the school.

Shetland Islands Council’s director of children’s services Helen Budge said: “We would encourage all parents and carers where possible to have their children at home for remote learning, and only if alternative options for childcare have been explored and exhausted should applications for key worker childcare be submitted.”

On Thursday another two cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Shetland, with numbers rising sharply since Christmas following an outbreak in the North Mainland.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.