Norovirus outbreak forces Leeds school to shut until new year

The Rodillian Academy in Lofthouse will be closed from Wednesday December 18 to Friday December 20.

A letter home to parents from Executive Headteacher Andy Goulty on Tuesday said: "As you are likely awaer, across Leeds, the Norovirus and other viruses are currently rife and are impacting on children and adults.

"At Rodillian Academy, we have been monitoring the situation with our own staff and students carefully.

"We have reached reached a point today where we now believe that these viruses are having such an impact on our student and staff population that in order to stop the spread of the virus, we have decided to close the academy."

Mr Goulty said the decision had "not been made lightly" and that the school would be deep cleaned to stop the return of the virus.

The school will open as normal on Monday, January 6, 2020.

At least 13 schools across the city have had to close for various periods over the last few weeks due to the Norovirus outbreak.NHS advice on how to treat diarrhoea and vomiting:

Do:

stay at home and get plenty of rest

drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash – take small sips if you feel sick

carry on breast or bottle feeding your baby – if they're being sick, try giving small feeds more often than usual

give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds

eat when you feel able to – you don't need to eat or avoid any specific foods

take paracetamol if you're in discomfort – check the leaflet before giving it to your child

Don't:

do not have fruit juice or fizzy drinks – they can make diarrhoea worse

do not make baby formula weaker – use it at its usual strength

do not give children under 12 medicine to stop diarrhoea

do not give aspirin to children under 16

stay off school or work until the symptoms have stopped for two days. Also avoid visiting anyone in hospital during this time.