Health Board: Teachers need to socially distance at school
Many classes at Tallinn's Gustav Adolf Grammar School have been moved to distance learning on Tuesday after a teacher tested positive for COVID-19. The Health Board (Terviseamet) is encouraging teachers to socially distance in schools so as not to spread coronavirus.
A teacher at Gustav Adolf Grammar School was diagnosed with coronavirus on Saturday and the Health Board and school have mapped close contacts, ETV's "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported on Monday.
The school's principal Henrik Salum said the teacher's whole class of 24 pupils as well as 19 staff members - who had a meeting and lunch with the infected teacher - must now self isolate. Sixteen classes in total have been moved to remote learning.
Chief specialist of the Department of Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Epidemic Control at the Health Board Hanna Sepp told AK teachers are the main spreaders of infection in schools.
"If one teacher gets sick, there is a chance that other teachers and staff at the school will get sick, which is what we are really seeing today," Sepp said.
Sepp said socially distancing is especially important among teachers and they should not spend time together in school lounges, for example. She said they should also be following the rules not to go to work when sick.
Students are also learning online in Ida-Viru County after outbreaks at several schools. One school has had to close twice so far.
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Editor: Helen Wright
