Covid in Scotland: Third of all Highland schools affected

Lochaber High School in Fort William is among sites affected

A third of all Highlands schools have been affected by Covid, Highland Council has said.

Grantown, Kingussie, Culloden and Fort William's Lochaber secondary schools have "a significant number of year groups self-isolating".

Aviemore Primary School and Thurso's Pennyland Primary have been closed to some pupils, while Kincraig's Alvie primary has required a one-day closure.

The council said the region had seen an "exponential increase" in cases.

There are 203 schools in the Highland Council region.

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The local authority said online learning or home learning material was available for pupils who were isolating but otherwise remained well.

Education chairman John Finlayson said: "The exponential increase in cases, while to be expected due to the recent relaxation of measures, is having a significant impact on our education settings.

"We urge that communities remain vigilant and everyone takes the necessary precautions and does what they can to slow the spread of the virus."

He added: "We understand that a high proportion - 81% - of over 16-year-olds in Highland are now vaccinated and this is excellent news and will hopefully lessen any impact of the virus in time."

Covid measures reintroduced

On Wednesday, NHS Highland warned of a "large number of outbreaks" of Covid in schools in its area, which includes Argyll and Bute.

The health board said there had been more than 1,000 new cases in the local population in the past week.

NHS Highland said this represented almost 10% of its total cases since the start of the pandemic. The health board said the increase in cases was expected to continue.

In the Western Isles, Covid has affected Sgoil nan Loch on Lewis.

Local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said several pupils and adults were self-isolating and Covid measures that had been relaxed in line with national guidance had been reintroduced at the school.

Maree Todd, minister for public health, women's health and sport and MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said Covid in schools was not unexpected given an increase in cases in communities.

She urged anyone who suspected they had Covid symptoms to get a PCR test.

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