'Most vulnerable': Covid cluster breaks out at Sydney autistic school
Parents of children attending a Sydney school for autistic kids are “devastated” after the school was closed due an outbreak of Covid-19.
Autism Awareness Australia posted on Facebook on Thursday that Giant Steps at Gladesville has been forced to close.
“More than a dozen students and a handful of teachers have tested positive - with hundreds of kids and families now in isolation,” it wrote.
“This is absolutely devastating news. Our thoughts are with the children, staff and families during such a difficult time.”
It called the students “our most vulnerable”.
Autism Awareness chief executive Nicole Rogerson told the Daily Telegraph parents are “devastated” by the news.
“It is really important this school remains open and remains safe,” she said.
“A lot of these children, a lot of the students, wouldn’t understand what the Covid is, pandemic is, or social distancing.”
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Ms Rogerson added there has been no urgency to vaccinate staff or students at the school and blamed it on a sluggish vaccine rollout.
NSW Health confirmed to Yahoo News Australia 18 cases have been associated with the school.
"This includes three staff members, seven students and eight family members," the department said.
"The first cases were notified on 5 August and NSW Health is working with the school, which is closed, to support students, their families and staff in isolation.
"NSW Health does not disclose details about venues of concern unless there is a public health reason."
A recurring theme of the latest outbreak, which began in June, has seen younger Australians contracting the virus – a far cry from theories when the pandemic began in 2020 that children could not fall ill with Covid-19.
Of Thursday’s 345 cases, about a third were 19 years old or younger and 44 were kids aged nine or younger.
Just yesterday, Dubbo West Public School was closed while staff and students are being asked to isolate and get tested if they have symptoms. The positive case has also been linked to Macquarie Anglican Grammar School and nine close contacts have been identified and are in isolation.
Ryde Secondary School in Sydney also closed down after a member of the community tested positive.
With AAP
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