A Western Isles nursery has closed its doors to youngsters for the coming week following positive cases of Covid-19 within staff there.
Both the Gaelic and English classes are Tong Nursery on the Isle of Lewis will be closed to pupils from tomorrow until Friday.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) said the school is unaffected by the outbreak and that the nursery closure is to allow for staff to self-isolate and a deep clean of the playrooms to be carried out.
In a letter to nursery parents, Donald Macleod, the council’s senior education officer, said: “Following confirmation this evening of Covid-19 cases linked to Tong Nursery, it has been agreed to enact a precautionary closure of both the Gaelic and English nursery playrooms for the remainder of the week ahead.
“We are instructing that registered children from both playrooms do not attend the nursery this week. We appreciate that this may present challenges for key workers but, for Monday March 22, there will be no provision at all at the nursery as the service is required to be fully closed due to staff self-isolation and a deep clean of the playrooms.
“When more information is known about alternative provision for the children of key workers in the nursery, that will be immediately shared with parents and carers.”
Mr Macleod asked parents to be vigilant about potential virus symptoms and reassured that the school and nursery has strict hygiene and safety procedures in place and “it is as part of these measures that cases have been identified quickly and that swift action has been taken to address the situation”.
He added that the closure does not affect the primary school, which will operate as normal this week.
