CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASE AT PAPATOETOE HIGH SCHOOL

14.2.2021

Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) has confirmed that a Papatoetoe High School student has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The school is closed on Monday and Tuesday at this stage for cleaning, and while the staff and students are tested. The student was at the school while infectious until the end of Wednesday.

An ARPHS spokesperson says letters will be emailed today to all staff members and to families with students.

The letters will tell staff and parents of students if

• a student or staff member is a close contact because they have been in the same class or room as the student, or
• a student or staff member is a casual contact, meaning they are a lower risk of developing the disease because they have NOT been in the same class or room as the student.

Everyone at the school last week – staff, students and visitors – will be asked to get tested.

Close contacts are asked to get tested and stay home until the end of Feb 24 in case they are infectious. Family members in their household are also asked to get tested and stay at home until they receive a negative test result.

Casual contacts are asked to get tested and remain at home until they receive a negative test result.

There will be a mobile testing centre set up at the school on Monday and a list of testing sites is also available on the Auckland Regional Public Health Service website: https://www.arphs.health.nz/public-health-topics/covid-19/where-to-get-tested/.

In the unlikely event a student or staff member’s result is positive; Public Health will be in contact with advice about what to do next.

Everyone at school should watch for the symptoms of COVID-19:

• New or worsening cough
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Temporary loss of smell or taste
• Difficulty breathing
• Runny nose.

An information sheet for casual contacts is available on the ARPHS website.

Anyone else becomes unwell, they should please phone the 24-hour COVID-19 Healthline number 0800 358 5453. Parents should tell the Heathline that their child is a casual-plus contact of COVID-19; they will advise you what to do. Please do go to a medical or after hours clinic, but phone your medical clinic for further advice.

For more information and fact sheets, visit the COVID-19 page on www.arphs.health.nz. Please phone Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if you have any queries around health or isolation.