Coronavirus: Parents’ anger at Wigan school over Italy school trip

St Peter’s Catholic High School, in Orrell, took pupils and several members of staff on a trip to Rome last Saturday.

Hundreds of cases of Covid-19 had already been confirmed in Italy before the departure, but the school said it had allowed the trip to go ahead after careful consideration and guidance from relevant authorities.

But the entire country of Italy was put on lockdown earlier this week, as the country’s coronavirus death toll jumped from 366 to 463 on Monday. It is the worst-hit country after China, where the outbreak began. The lockdown includes travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings.

And upon their return to the UK on Tuesday, students and travelling staff - including headteacher Mr McGlown - were told to immediately self-isolate for two weeks.

Parents told the Wigan Post that siblings of pupils who had been on the trip would either have to self-isolate too or find alternative accommodation.

But the decision to go ahead with the trip in the first place was one which prompted anger among residents, including parents of pupils from St Peter’s.

One parent, who asked not to be named, said: “They knew the risks. What risk does this pose to the rest of our children? Because these kids have siblings too. It could infect the rest of us.

“My husband and I can’t believe it. We’re a bit in shock, we’re just horrified with what they’ve chosen to do, when everyone is already in a panic anyway.”

The mother, whose child did not go on the trip, added: “Why put yourself in that position of risk? You wouldn’t go out shopping if you knew there was a gunman out there on the loose shooting people.

“I’ve spoken to some of the other mums, and they are just as alarmed as us. So I think it’s just shocking to see such a good school make such a shocking decision. It’s absolutely ludicrous.

“They are a very good school, I’m just horrified they made this decision. We know how bad the situation is, and that it’s going to get worse. So to do something like that is horrendous.”

For more information on COVID-19 and how to minimise the risk of infection, visit gov.uk/ government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response