Batemans Bay High School. Photo: Facebook.
Batemans Bay High School will be closed for a deep clean tomorrow after a student tested positive for COVID-19.
All staff and students are being asked to self-isolate while contact tracing occurs.
In a statement on its website, the school said it would be “non-operational for on-site learning tomorrow, Tuesday 11 August 2020. All students will undertake at home learning”.
The statement said the department had been advised by NSW Health that a student had tested positive for COVID-19.
With a student population of more than 800, Batemans Bay High School draws pupils from Tomakin out to Mogo and up to Durras in the north.
News of the infection has spread rapidly, with concerned parents taking to social media looking for more details, including whether the child travelled to school by bus or other means.
Tomorrow’s closure will allow time for the school to complete the contact tracing process and have the premises deep cleaned.
NSW Health has requested anyone who has been unwell or has flu-like symptoms to be tested at one of the COVID-19 clinics.
A pop-up clinic will be established at Hanging Rock (near the Marine Rescue building in Hanging Rock sports complex) operating between 9 am and 5 pm until Sunday to accommodate increased demand.
It’s the second time a pop-up clinic has had to be established at Hanging Rock following COVID-19 infections in the Eurobodalla.
Late last month the community responded to the threat of an outbreak, with thousands turning out for testing across the shire.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison later congratulated Batemans Bay residents for their rapid response, with NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant saying the testing rate and quick isolation had helped stem any major outbreak.
Health authorities will be hoping for a similar response this time.
Further advice will be provided tomorrow on when Batemans Bay High will resume on-site learning.
While the school site is non–operational, learning materials are available through the department’s ‘Learning from Home’ website.
“The safety and well being of our staff and students is of paramount importance to us at all times,” a spokesperson said. “As such we will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure that all necessary health advice is adhered to.”
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