By Alesha Capone
Two Wyndham schools have temporarily closed after a student from each college tested positive for COVID-19.
Point Cook Senior Secondary College and MacKillop College in Werribee have sent memos to school families, alerting them to the situation.
A letter from the Point Cook school’s principal Christopher Mooney said:
“The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has confirmed that a student at Point Cook Senior Secondary College has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
“Following advice from DHHS Point Cook Senior Secondary College will now close from Friday 24 JULY for 72 hours initially.
“The school will be closed to all students, staff and members of the community.
“This closure will allow time for the school and DHHS to undertake a full risk assessment. The closure will also allow appropriate cleaning of the school site to occur on the recommendation of DHHS.
“DHHS has advised that all our students and staff are requested to remain at home while contact tracing occurs. If you are identified as being a close contact, DHHS will be in contact to discuss the appropriate next steps, including testing.”
A letter from the MacKillop College principal, Rory Kennedy, said the school would be closed between today and Monday.
The school’s official online blog said:
“MacKillop College has been closed in the interests of public health and the safety of your school community.
“This decision has been made in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
“If a member of the school community (staff or student) has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), closure of the school will allow time for staff from the DHHS to carry out contact tracing (to identify any staff and students who have been in contact with the confirmed case) and take necessary steps to contain and slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community.”
