Schools revert to mask wearing

Two Auckland schools are reverting back to compulsory mask-wearing in classrooms, one after several students and staff involved with a school production tested positive.

Masks must be worn in class at Takapuna Grammar from Monday and returned to use in Pt Chevalier School’s Year 4 to 6 classrooms — with Years 1 to 3 also encouraged to mask up — this week.

It would be compulsory for students and staff to wear masks while in class, indoors and on buses, Takapuna Grammar principal Mary Nixon told parents in a newsletter yesterday.

“There is no apparent spread of Covid in classes or while at school but there are several staff and students involved in the school production Mamma Mia who have tested positive for Covid.

“The total of staff and students currently testing positive for Covid is 6.9 per cent and household contacts is 3.9 per cent.”

Point Chevalier School principal

Stephen Lethbridge said the decision was made to bring back compulsory maskwearing in class for all Year 4 to 6 students after noticing cases at the school and in the community were significantly increasing.

“We think it is prudent that we make sure we keep staff and kids as safe as possible,” Lethbridge said.

“We’ve noticed that we’ve got significantly more cases around the school and community this week than we did last week and the week before and that’s in line with growing cases across the Auckland region.”

Lethbridge believed other schools had already taken or were in the process of taking a similar approach.

Schools knew their communities best, the Ministry of Education said in response to the schools’ decision.

“[Schools] are therefore best placed to make decisions that prioritise the safety and wellbeing of their students, teachers and support staff.”