The student attends St Dominic’s College in Henderson. Staff and parents were told on Tuesday afternoon and any close contacts of the case will be getting further information on testing and self-isolation soon.
The sick student attended class on Friday before going home early after feeling unwell. St Dominic’s has closed for at least three days and a deep clean of the school will be carried out.
A close contact of the case who attends Henderson North School is self-isolating and has been tested. They remain well and were very unlikely to have been infectious when last at school.
Concern
Waitākere Ward Councillors Shane Henderson and Linda Cooper were concerned when they heard reports of the West Auckland case.
“It was a bit of a shock to hear about this new case. We know that at Alert Level 2 the disease is contained, but that there is still a risk of community transmission. That is what we are seeing here and that why we need to continue to be vigilant,” says Councillor Shane Henderson.
“We understand that the student and their family did all the right things. They arranged for a COVID test when they first identified symptoms and immediately notified the school of the positive result when it came through.
"We understand there are a lot of emotions swirling around our community right now, but let’s all stay united to tackle this COVID-19 challenge together. This is a strong reminder for West Aucklanders to stay calm, be kind, and stick to the guidelines to keep our communities safe”
Mt Roskill 'sub-cluster'
The case has now been linked to the Mt Roskill “sub-cluster” but had not been previously identified as a close contact of a member of the cluster. Investigations and contact tracing measures are ongoing.
Councillor Linda Cooper says, “it is a good idea for all Westies to seriously consider wearing a mask at all times when they are out and about, it is better to be safe than sorry.
“I know it will be worrying for West Aucklanders to hear that a case has been identified so close to home. But we can stop the spread by being mindful about personal hygiene and keeping a distance from other people when we’re outside of our homes.”
Alert Level 2 guidelines for Auckland:
- If you’re sick, stay home. Do not go to work or school. Do not socialise.
- At Alert Level 2 the risk of COVID-19 being present in the community is higher. You legally must wear a face covering on public transport and aircraft and are encouraged to wear face coverings in situations where physical distancing is not possible, like in shops.
- Social gatherings can have a maximum of 10 people
- It’s important that you use basic hygiene measures, including washing your hands, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and cleaning surfaces
- You should keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen. This helps with rapid contact tracing if it’s required
- Keep your distance when outside your home. You should keep at least: 2 metres in public and in retail stores, like supermarkets and clothes shops; and 1 metre in most other places like workplaces, cafes, restaurants, and gyms.
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre.