Covid 19 coronavirus: Back to school for FDMC Rotorua trip students

Students and staff of Francis Douglas Memorial College who visited Rotorua's luge last week at the same time as three people who were since confirmed to have Covid-19 have returned to school.

Some Francis Douglas Memorial College (FDMC) students who visited the Rotorua luge at the same time as an Auckland family who tested positive for Covid-19, have returned to their classrooms this week.

Last Thursday the Stratford Press reported 15 Year 13 students and two teachers had been asked to stay at home after their geography field trip to Rotorua included a visit to the Skyline Luge in Rotorua at the same time as three people who were since confirmed to have Covid-19 and would have been infectious at the time of their Rotorua trip. The students had returned from Rotorua on Tuesday and attended school on Wednesday before it was known the Auckland family had visited Rotorua.

FDMC Principal Martin Chamberlain said while he understood the risk of them having contracted the virus themselves was low, he decided to exercise caution and asked them to remain home for the remainder of last week. He also worked from home as he had been in Rotorua for the Secondary Principals' Association of NZ conference, which was taking place in the city last week. The conference was suspended after news of the change of alert levels in the country broke.

Martin Chamberlain, principal of Francis Douglas Memorial College. Photo / Supplied.

Martin says the affected students and staff have been able to return to school this week. In a message sent out through the school app, he said students were welcome to return and he would be back in school as well this week.

"Level 3 is being imposed only in Auckland and, so far, no infectious people have presented in Rotorua. There has been no instruction from government for our school to close. Our school is obliged to follow the Government and the law and, under level 2, that means social distancing, contact tracing, testing if symptoms present and enhanced hygiene conditions, with the school open for all. For that reason, your son is welcome to return to school on Monday and I will be there too."

He says some of the families of the students involved chose to seek testing last week.

"I am aware of only negative results from students who were in Rotorua whose families chose for them to be tested. Those who are yet awaiting results have been instructed to remain at home until those results are available."