Tadley's Bishopswood Infant School closed today after outbreak of flu-like virus
School take "difficult decision" after children and staff struck by illness
A TADLEY school is closed for a "deep clean" today after an outbreak of a flu-like virus.
Bishopswood Infant School says it took the "difficult decision" after a number of children and staff were struck by the illness.
The school has sent a letter out to parents explaining the symptoms and the recommended procedures.
It is hoped it will reopen tomorrow.
The letter to parents says: "We have been in liaison with Public Health England throughout the week and they now classify us as having an ‘outbreak’ of a flu-like-virus. Their recommendations have been:
· For us to send home any children who have been displaying symptoms today or who have returned to school after being unwell and still show some signs of illness.
· All surfaces and equipment used by children during the last week needs to be thoroughly sanitised to reduce the potential of the virus spreading further.
"Following this recommendation the difficult decision has been made to close the Infant school on Monday 1st February in order for us to fully deep clean all areas of the school sufficiently.
"As you can imagine at the Infants the children use a lot of toys, apparatus and equipment throughout the day which is contributing to the spread of this illness alongside the hygiene understanding of a young child.
"To clean everything methodically and thoroughly using specialist equipment we are unable to complete this while the children are in school.
"Hopefully this will allow those currently suffering to improve and for those that have been lucky enough to remain symptom free not to become infected."
A spokesman for Public Health England, Mike McGann, confirmed it had liaised with the school, but said it was the school's decision to close.
He added: "PHE can confirm a letter has been written to parents of children attending Bishopswood Infant School.
"This is purely a precautionary letter which is sent to parents as a matter of course when a number of children have been reported as being absent because of flu-like symptoms.
"A handful of other Hampshire schools have also had a letter and these are also precautionary.
"PHE has recommended to parents that a flu vaccination is the best form of protection and those that have yet to receive one should contact their local GP.
"PHE also recommends maintaining good basic hygiene, of example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from hands to face to other people."
