Two Leeds schools issue coronavirus advice after Italy skiing trips

Two schools have issued advice after pupils and teachers returned from skiing trips in Italy.
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Corpus Christi Catholic College in Halton Moor and Bishop Young Academy in Seacroft have both sent letters to parents with the latest advice.

Neither trip had been to one of the 11 towns on lockdown in northern Italy.

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But Public Health England (PHE) has asked that anyone who has been north of the Italian city of Pisa is still being asked to stay at home if they do develop flu-like symptoms.

Bishop Young Academy, Seacroft.Bishop Young Academy, Seacroft.
Bishop Young Academy, Seacroft.

Paul Young, Principal at Bishop Young, spoke to PHE on Monday after a school trip returned from Sappada, in northern Italy.

At that time Italy was not considered a risk area.

The situation changed on Tuesday after the virus spread quickly across Italy.

A message to parents read: "Mr Cooper received a call back from Public Health England at 11.30am on Tuesday 25 February informing that the scope of travel had now been extended to Northern Italy.

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"Some towns have been identified as a category 1 risk and require self isolation. Sappada where our ski visit took place is not in this category."

"Please inform us as a matter of urgency if your child has developed or does develop any symptoms.

"As stated, if your child does not develop any symptoms, they should attend school as normal.

"It is worth adding that Italy is a large country with a population of 60 million people.

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"So far, there have only been 229 confirmed cases so the likelihood of your child having contracted the virus is extremely low and the advice given is for precautionary purposes.

"Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Cathedral Leader if you have any further questions."

Pupil and staff at Corpus Christi also went on a skiing trip to Italy over half term.

A message on the school's website, posted on Wednesday, said: "Students and staff who have recently returned from the ski trip to Italy DID NOT visit any of the 11 towns in Northern Italy currently on lockdown.

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"Therefore any students who have returned from Italy are OK to be in College unless they start to feel unwell."

But the message stressed that anyone who develops symptoms must take action.

"They must monitor their own health for 14 days," the message read.

"If they show any of these symptoms – breathlessness, fever, cough or sore throat, even if mild. They must self isolate and call 111."