Teacher tests positive for virus, students instructed to isolate

The health and education ministries were on high alert on Friday after a teacher who teaches at two secondary schools tested positive for coronavirus, with several of his co-workers and students from both schools instructed to self-isolate.

After the teacher, who works at two middle schools, one in the Arkopolis area of Nicosia and the second in Famagusta’s Frenaros village, was confirmed as positive for the virus, health protocols were activated, with all of his potential contacts instructed to remain in self-isolation.

Students to remain in self-isolation are to follow classes from home via distance learning for two weeks.

Commenting on the situation, member of the government’s coronavirus advisory committee Zoe-Dorothea Pana said coronavirus cases in schools are to be expected, stressing that the goal is to avoid chains of infections through an immediate and effective activation of health protocols, particularly as some children may be asymptomatic carriers.

“It is to some extent expected,” Pana said. “We have an open community. It has already started in Greece and Germany where there are similar incidents. We cannot turn a blind eye and believe in unrealistic scenarios. We have to learn to live safely with the coronavirus, and this is even more the case as regards children."