Staff and pupils at Derbyshire school to be quarantined for two weeks

This comes after a member of Fairfield Endowed Junior School “community” visited a family in which someone recently died after contracting Covid-19.

The school, in Boarstones Lane in Fairfield, Buxton, closed yesterday as a precaution.

Yesterday was the first day in which schools opened their doors only for the children of "key workers" and for a range of vulnerable groups, including kids with special educational needs and those in contact with social services.

An official statement from the school, which has 198 pupils, says: "FEJS closed on Monday after we were told that one of our school community had been in contact with a family where a family member had died after contracting coronavirus.

"This isn't a direct contact but it is one which we are taking very seriously.

"All staff and pupils were sent home yesterday afternoon and advised to quarantine for 14 days."

This comes nearly a month after another Buxton school, Burbage Primary School, closed for two days for a deep clean after a parent was diagnosed with Covid-19 after returning from a holiday abroad.

That incident had been one of the first confirmed cases of the coronavirus strain in the UK.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a near complete lockdown of the UK to prevent the spread of the virus - but still leaves schools open for a minority of pupils.

This follows a weekend in which many were seen to flout government guidance around social-distancing and self-isolation.

The Covid-19 virus can survive on hard surfaces such as door handles and light switches for up to 72 hours, meaning no direct contact with the host is required.

Health Minister Matt Hancock has said people should only go to work "where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home". He later said those unable to work from home should go to work "to keep the country running".

And the government said that the decision on whether to keep a business open ultimately lies with the employer.