Covid-19: Mayo school reverses decision to close until after Christmas

Claremorris Boys National School.

A primary school in Co Mayo has reversed its decision to close the school until after Christmas over concerns about the spread of cornonavirus.

Claremorris Boys National School had decided to shut it doors after a number of students tested positive for the virus.

However that decision was overruled by school governance. 

A statement on the school’s website read: “School governance have spoken with me as of 2.30pm today Decmber 11 and are insisting as the Board of Management are not health professionals, we cannot take this decision to close and do not have the advice from Public Health to close, therefore we cannot close the school and from Monday must re-open.

“Remote learning for those isolating should continue and normal school attendence for everyone else should resume on Monday December 14. Sorry to be the bearer of that news.” 

Speaking earlier on RTÉ Radio’s News at One, Principal Mark Loftus explained that the school has 125 pupils divided into five classes, two of which had to be sent home because of a number of cases diagnosed recently.

In the three weeks since the first case was discovered the two classes had to go into lockdown because of subsequent cases and their close and casual contacts, he explained.

A further two cases were confirmed by parents on Thursday at which stage Mr Loftus contacted public health officials and asked that the school be closed. However, the public health officials were not willing to do so, he said.

Mr Loftus said it had been unrealistic to expect schools to stay open “at all costs”, and that children had been asking why it was necessary to have windows open in the middle of winter.

Earlier: Principal had 'no alternative' but to close school after Covid-19 outbreak

The principal of a primary school in Claremorris, Co. Mayo, has defended his decision to close the school early for the Christmas holidays after an outbreak of Covid-19.

The idea of keeping schools open at all costs was not acceptable, Mark Loftus told RTÉ radio’s News at One.

“We were left with no alternative. We are trying to be both reactive and proactive,” he added.

Mr Loftus explained that the school has 125 pupils divided into five classes, two of which had to be sent home because of a number of cases diagnosed recently.

In the three weeks since the first case was discovered the two classes had to go into lockdown because of subsequent cases and their close and casual contacts, he explained.

A further two cases were confirmed by parents on Thursday at which stage Mr Loftus contacted public health officials and asked that the school be closed. However, the public health officials were not willing to do so, he said.

Mr Loftus said that he felt he was left with no alternative but to close the school to minimise the spread of Covid-19 in the school community and to allay the fears among parents, teachers and pupils.

He described the whole ordeal as "exceptionally stressful".

We felt it was the right decision to make. We were left with no alternative.

Mr Loftus said it had been unrealistic to expect schools to stay open “at all costs”, and that children had been asking why it was necessary to have windows open in the middle of winter.

Mr Loftus said he had hoped that the Department of Education and public health officials would be supportive of his decision. But they had wanted to see evidence of cross-contamination.

“From our perspective, we were very aware of the anxiety levels at home and among the pupils,” he said.

The principal said he knew families wanted to have a safe Christmas and some were concerned about older or vulnerable family members. 

“We felt it was the right decision to make. We were left with no alternative.”