Coronavirus: Two borough schools shut for cleaning as member of staff is quarantined in hospital

The Wings CE Trust has announced that both St Mark's CE Primary School in Newtown and St George's CE Primary School in Atherton will be shut on Monday and Tuesday.

A post on both schools' Facebook pages on Sunday evening said: "I would like to notify you that the leaders and trustees of The Wings’ CE Trust have made the decision to close school tomorrow for two days for specialist deep cleaning.

"Please note that at this stage, health authorities have not insisted on this closure or the cleaning of school and it is not our intention to cause undue alarm. This is our independent decision as a duty of care to our pupils and staff in order to ensure that the health and well-being of our community remains our utmost priority.

"Today we have been notified that a member of staff, who has worked at both Atherton St George’s and St Mark’s CE Primary School within the last week, has been admitted to hospital with flu like symptoms and placed in quarantine in hospital.

"Unless further information becomes available, both schools will re-open on Wednesday March 11th. I am sure you will join me in wishing the member of staff who is unwell a speedy recovery."

A further post on St George's CE Primary School's Facebook page suggests work the pupils can do at home while the school is shut.

The closures come as Garrett Hall Primary School in Tyldesley prepares to open on Monday, after shutting on Thursday and Friday for a deep clean.

A family had direct contact with two people with coronavirus and headteacher Tracy Beaty confirmed on Friday that two parents had tested positive for COVID-19.

So far three people in the Wigan borough have been confirmed as having coronavirus, with public health officials urging people to take good hygiene measures, including washing hands with hot water and soap for the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.