Pupils are removed from West Cork school’s ‘pod’ over fears of Covid-19

SEVERAL households in the vicinity of a West Cork coastal village have gone into self-isolation after a person tested positive for Covid-19.

It is understood that the person’s family, relatives and also friends of the couple, who attended a child’s birthday party, have been asked to quarantine for 14 days.

It is also believed that the HSE’s contact tracing went into immediate effect following the diagnosis, and that all measures have been taken to ensure individual and public safety.

The measures included removing some children from a pod, or ‘bubble’, at a nearby national school for the recommended 14-day period, but the school remains open, and is operating within all of the national health guidelines.

The adults and children who were identified through contact tracing were tested for Covid-19 and it is understood – but this has not been officially confirmed because specific incidents are deemed confidential – that no one else in the area has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Southern Star contacted both the Department of Health and the HSE and the department issued a statement saying it does not comment on individual cases or groups of cases due to patient confidentiality. The HSE also said it could not comment on cases or outbreaks to protect the privacy and confidentiality of those involved.

Cllr Paul Hayes (Ind) said: ‘Situations like this bring home to people the reality of the Covid-19 threat.’

He said it is important for people to exercise extreme caution, to observe social distancing and all of the additional NPHET guidelines about reducing social contacts over the next few weeks.

‘It’s vital for people to ensure their own personal safety, the safety of their family, as well as the protection of older people and those who are medically vulnerable from risk of exposure to this deadly disease,’ he added.