School shuts as teacher tests positive

By | May 3, 2020

A primary school in Melbourne will close after a teacher there tested positive for coronavirus, with authorities confirming they had direct contact with children.

Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos this morning announced Meadowglen Primary School in Epping in the city’s northwest was the site of a case of COVID-19.

“Parents, carers and staff were contacted by the school this morning. The school will be closed for three days to enable a thorough cleaning to occur as well as contact tracing,” Ms Mikakos told reporters.

“The teacher was on site in recent days. I understand there were a small number of students present at the school in recent days and the teacher in question was involved in (teaching) them.”

Families will be given advice about what to do if their children were in close contact with the teacher, she said.

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The news came an hour after federal Education Minister Dan Tehan launched a blistering attack on Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews over the state’s cautious approach to schooling.

Victoria continues to urge parents to keep their kids home if they are able to, with virtual learning still the preferred option.

Mr Tehan slammed the premier’s “failure of leadership” and accused him of ignoring medical advice at the expense of “the most disadvantaged children”.

In response to the criticism, Ms Mikakos this morning sent a clear message to Victorian parents: “We run the schools.”

“I think Victoria understands and knows who’s been leading Victoria, to keep them safe, to suppress the number of cases that we’re seeing,” Ms Mikakos said.

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“It’s certainly not been Dan Tehan.”

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Ms Mikakos said the government was making its decisions on schooling based on medical advice from the Chief Health Officer.

“I encourage Victorian parents to continue to heed the advice of our government, and we are in fact the government that runs out schools in Victoria.

“If we just look to the fact, today, that we’ve had a staff member (at a school) test positive, I’m sure that Mr Tehan would have liked to have had that knowledge before making those remarks earlier today.

“We have been following the advice of the Chief Health Officer and that advice remains unchanged.”

Meadowglen will close until Wednesday to allow for thorough cleaning and continued contact tracing.

In the interim, parents who have no option but to send their kids will be catered for at a neighbouring school, Ms Mikakos said.

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