'It will happen again': Premier's warning about school closures

Gladys Berejiklian has responded after two NSW schools were shut down when students were diagnosed with coronavirus just one day after children in the state returned to classrooms full time.

“Unfortunately this is the new normal during the pandemic. It will happen again,” the NSW Premier said on Nine’s Today show this morning.

Students were evacuated from Moriah War Memorial College at Queens Park in Sydney and nearby Waverley College so the classrooms could undergo a deep cleaning, with Ms Berejiklian describing it as a “very big coincidence” that two students in close proximity tested positive when there have been low numbers of students diagnosed with the virus.

“The health authorities are currently doing contact tracing but we do recommend anybody in and around those schools who has the mildest symptoms to come forward and get tested,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The Premier cautioned the public not to become complacent as restrictions ease.

“We have great news next week with eateries and cultural places and zoos opening. We have to be careful. We can't take anything for granted. We don't want to go backwards,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Ms Berejiklian dismissed the idea that the state had jumped the gun returning students to school: “It was time to go back to school”.

“Because this happens in two schools with one student each doesn't mean you shut down the entire system,” she said.

“We have 3,000 schools across the state, the vast majority of them in the public school system, It means we have to be prepared for this to happen again.

“We have to get used to making sure all the schools have the guidelines and equipment in place as it happens so we can minimise the spread and make sure everyone is protected.”

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.