6 Schools Linked to COVID-19 Cases; Some Will Move to HBL

The COVID-19 virus is just like a bubble tea addiction.

Once it gets out of hand when you’re not careful, it’s extremely difficult to control it once again, as time has proven.

After going on an islandwide tour this week, visiting various KTV outlets and even fishmongers at markets around the nation, the COVID-19 virus has once again found its way to schools.

And 6 different ones so far, at that.

HBL For Most Of The Affected Schools

Home-based Learning (HBL) is a double-edged sword that students either love for convenience or hate for the lack of human interaction or mood to study.

Well, hate it or love it, it’s now bound to return for some schools in light of the new cases discovered amongst students following the recent ruthless growing clusters.

Over the weekend, several schools have issued letters to parents informing them that students or staff of the school tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

As for Raffles Institution, a letter dated 18 July stated that a stall assistant working in the school’s canteen tested positive for the virus on 17 July.

She was last in school on 16 July, Friday, and felt well when working was in the canteen.

The letter, signed by principal Frederick Yeo, said that she only minimally interacted with students and staff while collecting payment for food, the process of which “typically only takes a few seconds”.

Deep cleaning and disinfection will be carried out on the canteen starting from 19 July, Monday, and to facilitate this, Year 1 to 4 students will be placed on HBL.

Contact tracing through TraceTogether will be conducted to identify students and staff who had come into contact with the stall assistant.

They will be placed on a leave of absence (LOA) and subsequently contacted by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Additionally, parents of students who were identified as close contacts of the case will also be contacted by MOH for further instructions on what to do.

Cases Found In Other Schools

Yangzheng Primary School also issued a letter to parents on the 18th of July regarding a confirmed case in the school.

It was a Primary 2 student who was last in school on 15 July, Thursday, and although she felt fine while in school, she tested positive eventually.

This resulted in all Primary 2 students being placed on HBL on 19 July, Monday and 21 July, Wednesday as Tuesday is a public holiday.

Similar processes regarding contact tracing of close contacts will be put into place, with them being placed on LOA and contacted by MOH subsequently.

Meanwhile, a Primary 3 student from Punggol Cove Primary School also tested positive for the virus, the school shared in their letter to parents and guardians.

The student is a household member of a confirmed case, and had been last present in school on 15 July, Thursday.

HBL will be activated for all Primary 3 students from 19 July, Monday, to 21 July, Wednesday.

Yet another household member of a confirmed case, a staff officer at Horizon Primary School has also tested positive for the virus after last being in school on 15 July, Thursday.

This was circulated to parents and guardians in a letter from the school dated 18 July.

No information was provided regarding HBL in the letter, however.

Naval Base Primary School also issued a letter on 16 July, Friday, to parents and guardians to inform them of a Primary 6 student testing positive for the virus.

Another Primary 6 student in Opera Estate Primary School also tested positive for the virus, which was made known to parents and guardians in a letter from the school on 16 July, Friday, as well.

Both letters did not mention HBL processes if any.

Featured Image: Google Maps; Facebook (Singapore Atrium Sale)