An Auckland school caught up in the fallout from the Covid-19 outbreak is continuing business as usual, despite one if its students being in isolation.
Auckland Grammar was notified at midday Thursday by the Ministries of Health and Education that one of its pupils has a parent at home who has tested positive for coronavirus.
They say the student does not have any symptoms and is not infectious. Three other Auckland schools are in the same situation, including Westlake Boys High School, which has hired a specialist company to deep clean the whole school this weekend.
In a letter to parents, Westlake said it will not be holding full assemblies until further notice and boys can wear face masks to school if they choose.
But that is not the case at Auckland Grammar, Headmaster Tim O'Connor told Checkpoint.
"What we've done is simply contact the school, pass on the letter from local regional public health services and told them that there is no risk, that we're carrying on business as usual, and I think we should be just going on with the good hygienic practices," O'Connor said.
"Exactly the same sort of scenario at Westlake Boy, Westlake Girls we were told, and Ormiston Junior College got the same information.
"Our schools have very good pandemic processes in place, we're well-supported by the Ministry of Education and public health."
Westlake Boys says it is undertaking a deep clean of the school at the weekend, but O'Connor said Auckland Grammar is not.
"The primary message that I would get out … is that there has been no exposure to Covid-19 at our school from the student or from their parent, and the student who attends Auckland Grammar School has not been infectious at any point in time.
"So, there's absolutely no reason for us to do a deep clean or anything of that nature."
The student whose parent has contracted Covid-19 is in now in isolation at home.
Auckland Grammar is also not allowing students to wear face masks at school, O'Connor said.
"In my mind it just creates hysteria. Public health have already told us there's little or no point wearing a face mask to stop getting the virus. The only reason you'd wear a face mask is if you potentially had it and you're stopping the spread of it.
"Wearing a face mask at school is simply going to create panic amongst the student body and is entirely unnecessary."
School assemblies are continuing at the school, he said.
"They're the most inspirational part of the day… It is a key part of who we are as a school."
In assemblies O'Connor said he has been able to communicate the facts about the Covid-19 situation, to remind students to wash hands properly and cough or sneeze properly.
"Those sort of practices are socially responsible.
"We've seen that the greatest risk from Covid-19 is to the elderly, or those who are ill, and as a group of young men they should be taking that responsibility really seriously, if they can't look after themselves, that they do it for their elders."
