Swine flu school back in business after week's closure

Published on Wednesday 20 May 2009 22:04

A SCOTTISH primary school that closed after one of its pupils contracted swine flu reopened yesterday.

After a week away, children returned to classes at Ravenscraig Primary in Greenock, where a five-year-old pupil had tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

Tamiflu antiviral drugs were given to 23 pupils in the boy's class and to 17 members of an after-school club he attended.

The P1 pupil's mother was also found to have swine flu, which has infected six people in the Greenock area.

The town's Ladybird Nursery, which was closed after a three-year-old was found to be infected, is due to reopen today.

There are still ten confirmed cases of swine flu in Scotland, and four possible cases are under investigation.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon thanked the parents and carers of those affected by the closures, while parents taking their children to classes yesterday said they had backed the decision to close the school.

Inverclyde Council said the primary school had reopened following medical advice from health officials. Headteacher Isabel Lind said: "The children are pleased and, certainly, the parents were telling me they were glad to be sending their children back after a few days at home.

"Naturally, particularly last Tuesday evening, folks were very concerned, but the health professionals were very good at reassuring people."

Ms Lind said that the school had held a "welcome back" assembly, where good hygiene and hand-washing were discussed with the children.

"Many of our older children are very good thinkers and have taken it all quite seriously and in a very mature way," she said.