Covid-19 Coronavirus: All students and staff at Marist College will be screened

All Marist College students are asked to take the Covid-19 test before returning to school, even if they have already been tested or have no symptoms.

Catholic Girls’ High School is the epicenter of one of New Zealand’s largest Covid-19 groups.

The decision was made over the weekend, school principal Raechelle Taulu, board chairman Stephen Dallow and Dr. Julia Peters of the Auckland Regional Public Health Service said in a letter to parents this morning. .

“Although the tests are voluntary, we strongly recommend that everyone at the school take advantage of this opportunity. The chance of detecting new cases is very low. However, we are determined to take every precaution.”

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The names of those who tested positive would not be told to the school, privacy would be respected at all times, the letter said.

“The evaluation of all staff and students will give additional assurances that when we open the school doors, their daughters will be walking in an environment where every precaution has been taken to protect their safety.”

Any student who is even slightly ill should stay away. That included girls who tested negative for Covid-19.

Parents were reminded that there could be new infections in the coming months and everyone should be alert to Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, loss of smell, or difficulty breathing.

All received a proof of proof valid until the end of this week. The 14 community-based assessment centers in Auckland would expect girls from the Marists and assess them on presentation of the receipt, even if they had no symptoms.

Next week, the school board, ARPHS, DHB and the Ministry of Education will decide if the Marists will reopen. Online learning continues for all students during level 3.

The school also told parents that there were 46 cases directly associated with the Marists. The Ministry of Health website says 94 cases of the “Marist group” have emerged, of which 86 have recovered. The origin of the group is listed as unknown and the transmission is considered ongoing.

The test results would be reviewed and the positives assessed, especially if those people were still infectious. While no one with a positive result would be allowed to return to school until ARPHS authorized them, “if there are multiple people considered infectious, the school will remain closed,” the school said.

Marist had only had one new case in the past 14 days, the parents were told. New positive cases were thought to be unlikely if all students and staff had complied with the Close Contact Quarantine and then followed the closing rules.