Children tested for Omicron Covid-19 variant at Essex primary school

Essex County Council said “necessary precautionary action” – including switching to remote learning for one class – has been taken at Larchwood Primary School in Pilgrims Hatch to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

It comes as masks are being recommended in England’s schools following the detection of at least three cases of the Omicron variant in the UK.

A joint statement from the council and school said: “Following further contact tracing of the known Omicron Covid-19 case in Brentwood, it has been confirmed that there is a link to Larchwood Primary School based in Pilgrims Hatch.

Larchwood Primary School in Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex, where pupils are being tested for the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 after a person was confirmed to have contracted the variant. Picture date: Monday November 29, 2021.

“The UK Health and Security Agency, Department of Health and Social Care, Larchwood Primary School and colleagues from Essex County Council and Brentwood Council have worked together to take necessary precautionary action to prevent the spread.

“This includes making specialist testing available for all pupils and school staff and confirming arrangements for remote learning for one class.”

They added that the measures are “precautionary”.

Earlier, Essex’s top public health official said tests on students at the school have begun, and that testing will continue throughout Monday.

Essex director of public health Dr Michael Gogarty told BBC Breakfast: “What we’re doing is we’re throwing the net very wide in terms of requesting people who attended these places at the particular times to get tested as soon as possible.

“Within the school we are actually excluding one school group as close contacts, but with the rest of the school group we would wish them to get tested and we are arranging for that testing to happen.

“Some sought it yesterday, and the rest will happen today.”

Dr Gogarty said the infected person is “well” and isolating with their family.

“Most importantly with the confirmed case is that they are well, they are isolating with their family,” he said.

“When I say that they are well, I mean they are not seriously ill.

“They have some symptoms but they do not require hospitalisation.”

The school is not the only site in Essex that has been targeted for testing.

Dr Gogarty said a church and a fast food restaurant have also been contacted about the case.

“There are a number of sites we are looking at where these people had contact (with the infected person).

“One you would be aware of is the KFC in Brentwood.

“There’s also a faith setting.”

Trinity Church in Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, told the PA news agency that its members have been asked to take PCR tests in relation to the case.

In a statement, the church’s board of trustees said: “Following the communication sent out by Brentwood and Essex Councils regarding a person in Brentwood who has tested positive for the new variant of Covid-19, we would like to confirm that this person did not attend Trinity Church on 21st November. A person connected to that individual did attend church on 21st November.

“We have been in contact with NHS Test & Trace during the last 24 hours. As requested by NHS Test & Trace, we asked all members of the congregation who attended church on 21st November to book a PCR test asap.”