Three venues shut over four days
PUPILS and staff in three classes at an Ormskirk school have been sent home to selfisolate after two staff members tested positive for Covid-19.
Bosses at Pontville School on Black Moss Lane have closed classes P1, 3A and 3B after two positive coronavirus tests were produced by members of staff on Sunday evening.
The staff and parents or guardians of the children affected have been contacted by the school and are now required to self-isolate for 14 days in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.
Headteacher Derek Kitchin says the school has done “very well” compared to a number of other schools and work settings amid the pandemic, with these being the first cases of staff contracting the virus after eight months.
Parents and guardian will be written to in the next few days with an agreed date of return for each group, as they differ slightly, says the school.
In a letter sent to parents, Mr Kitchin said: “On Sunday evening two members of staff received information that they had tested positive for Covid-19.
“Following Government guidance, I had to make the decision to close Classes P1, 3A and 3B and to ask those students and their staff to self-isolate for 14 days from the time
THREE West Lancashire venues voluntarily closed their doors in the space of four days after staff members tested positive for Covid-19.
The latest, The Legh Arms in Mere Brow, is now closed until Thursday, October 15, after a member of staff received a positive test last Thursday.
Under current Government guidance, pubs are not required to close if one staff member test positive, but are encouraged to contact Public Health England if multiple employees get the virus.
However, in a statement announcing the closure, the pub said: “The safety and wellbeing of our staff and customers is at the forefront of everything we do, that said, we decided that temporary closure was our only option.
“We are working tirelessly to contact all relevant customers who have visited us and are following official Government Track and Trace advice and guidance.
“During this time of closure we will be taking time to carry out a thorough deep clean of the whole premises so that you will feel safe and protected when we reopen our doors and warmly welcome you back.”
Last Wednesday, Burscough restaurant Eden announced it would close until October 14 after a worker tested positive. Restaurant bosses said all staff would now self-isolate and a deep clean would be carried out.
In a later post on Facebook, the venue confirmed that it was a member of kitchen staff who had received the positive test and that customers therefore did not need to self-isolate.
And one day earlier, canalside pub the Ship at Lathom volunatarily closed after one of its staff members tested positive for the virus.
Announcing the temporary closure, owner David Coyle said: “We feel it is the only decision available with the welfare of both our customers and team at the forefront of this decision.
“With the current climate we all find ourselves in, we here at The Ship will always put the welfare of all our customers and team first before anything else.”
West Lancashire was not included in the new restrictions affecting much of the North West this week, despite recording higher rates than some of the areas included.