Parents anger that Clober Primary stayed open after norovirus outbreak

Some 56 pupils at Clober Primary in Kirk Street, Milngavie, started showing symptoms of the virus, also known as the ‘winter vomiting bug’ on Wednesday this week.

Text alerts were sent to parents and carers urging them to take precautions. It is advised any child who appears to have the illness, which causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea, should be kept at home for at least 48 hours after their last symptoms.

A deep clean of the school was carried out on Wednesday night to prevent the spread of infection.

This involved a comprehensive cleaning programme of all areas, with specific attention to common areas where bacteria and pathogens will spread quickly. For example on doorknobs, taps, toilets, chairs, tables, light switches etc.

Director of Education and Children’s Services, Gordon Currie, said: “For an outbreak such as norovirus, it is important to use the correct cleaning fluid - a bactericidal disinfectant agent. Steam cleaning was also utilised to sanitise floors and walls.”

Seventy children attended the school on Thursday, out of 256.

However Vicki Roger, a parent, said: “The school and nursery should be closed today (Thursday)! It’s all well and good cleaning it, but what if kids go in today unaware they have the bug? It’s just going to spread.

“My youngest is at Clober nursery and he’ll be staying off today. It’s not worth the risk of catching it.

The council carried out another deep clean on Thursday night and Vicki suspects this was because more children were sick.

Gordon Currie added: “Many parents kept their children off as a precautionary measure. To the best of our knowledge over a hundred were absent due to the norovirus.”