Premier Gladys Berejiklian has slammed NSW schools for continuing with extracurricular activities, after today revealing nine new COVID-19 cases that have been linked to an outbreak at a Sydney girls school.
“Unfortunately overnight we’ve had an additional 22 cases in NSW – four of which are from hotel quarantine, two of which are from Victoria and at least a third are from the new cluster at Tangara Girls School,” the Premier told media.
She warned NSW schools about the dangers of continuing with normal activities during the state’s “daily battle” against COVID-19.
“Schools, in particular non-government schools, cannot undertake those extracurricular activities that you do outside of a pandemic,” said Ms Berejiklian.
“I can’t make that message stronger.
“You cannot undertake those activities you would do if this there wasn’t a pandemic.
“Whether it’s offsite gatherings, whether it’s mingling between students and others in extracurricular activities – we are in a pandemic.
She described NSW as being in “a state of high alert” in relation to the possibility of further COVID-19 outbreaks.
“Every organisation, every entity needs to abide by the COVIDSafe plans because otherwise, we risk having a surge in numbers, but also we risk having new clusters and none of us want to see that.”
“My anxiety has not subsided in relation to what a knife edge NSW is on.
“But we need to keep pulling together, keep doing the right thing.”
She urged all NSW residents to stay home and get tested, “even with the mildest symptoms”.
Meanwhile the cluster at Tangara Girls School now stands at 17 cases.
Health Minister, Brad Hazzard said the source of the school outbreak was still being investigated, with the school now shutdown for cleaning and contact tracing until at least August 24.
He said all staff and students had been told to undergo testing and self-isolate at home.
“At this stage further investigation will, perhaps, give us further clarity at how that’s all occurred,” Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.
“It’s not always possible to determine the source and that’s what worries us most.”
