Pupils at a Birmingham school have been sent home ‘with immediate effect’ after students returned from a trip to coronavirus-hit Italy.
Students at Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst arrived at school on Wednesday, February 26, only to be told minutes later that they had to leave.
A series of text messages were sent to parents this morning, telling them students had been sent straight home.
The closure comes days after some pupils returned home from a school trip to Italy – where parts of the country are on lockdown over the virus.
The school, which has over 1,500 pupils, is expected to remain closed just for today, but it is unclear if students and staff who returned from Italy will have to remain home for longer.
The UK’s health secretary Matt Hancock had advised Brits returning from northern Italy to self-isolate for a period of two weeks if they show flu-like symptoms.
Italy has become a hot-spot for the virus, with a reported 19 people dead so far.
The texts sent home to Tudor Grange parents this morning read: “Following the return of a school trip to Italy, we have followed advice and will be closing the academy today with immediate effect, for a deep clean.
“We will continue to follow advice and keep you updated via our website. Students have been sent straight home, so please expect them to arrive shortly.
“At the moment, this closure will only be for today. Again, a reminder to check the website for updates.”
One worried parent told BirminghamLive children were ‘panicking’ to get on buses and rush home.
“It’s very concerning,” he said.
Another mum wrote on Facebook: “I appreciate the way they have protected the children but surely it could have been done earlier this morning, before they had gone in to school.”
Tudor Grange has been contacted for comment.
More schools could be shut and football matches cancelled if the coronavirus outbreak becomes a global pandemic, the UK’s top doctor has warned.
Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, revealed there are a number of contingency plans if the killer virus begins to spread.
Other measures to contain the deadly infection include reducing public transport, quarantining entire families and cancelling church services and concerts.
1 comment