Worried parents keep kids off school

The additional support needs school in Kirkintilloch shut for the day after someone who had been in the premises was contacted by the NHS and advised to self-isolate.

The school reopened on Thursday after undergoing a deep clean, according to East Dunbartonshire Council.

But parents said they are concerned over communication and quality of the clean.

One posted on the Herald’s Facebook page on the day of the closure: “Merkland school closes for deep cleaning due to contact with someone who’s been told to isolate, yet EDC can’t answer questions about the so-called deep clean and saying kids to return tomorrow! EDC conveniently not there to answer who done the deep clean and when. I’m not sending my daughter in tomorrow or Friday.”

Another parent agreed and said she was also keeping her daughter off.

Ann Davie, Depute Chief Executive for Education, said: “The council took the decision to close Merkland School as a precautionary measure having learned someone who had been in the premises had been contacted by the NHS and advised to self-isolate in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) as a result of contacts.

“Whilst closure was not a health advice requirement given the low risk nature of the contact, given the potential vulnerabilities of some in this school community, the precautionary decision was taken to close the school to enable a deep clean to be done.”