Covid outbreak: One of NL's largest schools closed for two weeks
The Pius X College in Bladel, one of the largest secondary schools in the Netherlands with 2,265 pupils and 320 staff, is closing for two weeks due to the coronavirus. So far 48 pupils and 13 staff members have tested positive for the virus. "And things are still increasing," rector Maarten de Veth said to AD.
The school informed all parents of the closure by letter on Monday. The school will close on Thursday and will reopen on Wednesday, October 28. "I think it is a tough thing to do, but actually also not. It is about the health of us all."
As the GGD cannot do source and contact tracing for everyone, and the school can't say with certainty whether the infections happened elsewhere, the Pius X College decided to close as a precaution.
"Looking at the data that we analyzed ourselves, it is not impossible that infections also took place in the school," De Veth said. "By closing the school for 13 days, we can stop the infections that take place at school."
The decision to close the school was made in consultation with the local GGD and the mayor of Bladel. While the school is closed, lessons will take place online. Al extracurricular activities are canceled.
