Coronavirus: School pupils go into isolation after Italy trip
Pupils and teachers from Jersey College for Girls, who arrived back from a school trip to Italy on Saturday, have gone into self isolation due to Coronavirus fears.
It comes after official advice from Channel Island health authorities changed on Tuesday 10 March, which said all those returning from Italy should self-isolate, whether or not they have symptoms.
When the students were in Italy the official advice on Coronavirus only cautioned against travel to specific towns in the north of the country.
However, since they returned to Jersey on Saturday 7 March advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has changed because of the spread of the virus.
None of the 19 pupils and two teachers who went on the Lucca trip are exhibiting any symptoms.
Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ivan Muscat, says that the incubation period for Covid-19 is, on average, five days and as no-one on the trip has any symptoms it is unlikely that anyone has been put at risk since the trip returned. However, in view of this latest development he has advised that the students and teachers should self-isolate until March 21 as a precautionary measure.
The affected pupils will be provided with homework and the rest of the school has been advised to follow this advice after any independenttravelling.
There are currently no confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Jersey, but one case has been confirmed in Guernsey. and the Island’s health authorities are monitoring the situation closely.