COVID-19: Second My First Skool to close temporarily as teacher infected

My First Skool at Blk 541, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. (SCREENCAP: Google Streetview)
My First Skool at Blk 541, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. (SCREENCAP: Google Streetview)

SINGAPORE – A second My First Skool will temporarily close from Thursday (9 April) to 18 April as a teacher has now tested positive for COVID-19.

The teacher, a case that was announced by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, was last at the centre – located at Blk 541, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 – on Saturday. The closure period covers 14 days from the day the teacher was last at work.

Previously, the My First Skool branch at Rivervale Crescent closed from last Friday to 14 April as a teacher there came down with COVID-19.

In a statement, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) said it was informed of the case on Wednesday.

All affected staff and children will be placed on a leave of absence during the closure period, ECDA said. “Barring any new developments, the centre will resume limited service provision on 20 April to serve the limited group of parents who are working in essential services and are unable to extend their alternative care arrangements beyond the closure period.”

The ECDA also added that the centre “will conduct a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the preschool premises and is closely monitoring its staff and parents on the health of their children”.

There are some 1,900 preschool centres – run by about 400 operators – here. My First Skool, the pre-school arm of National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) First Campus co-operative, runs over 140 such centres.

Other educational institutions with at least one student or staff member having tested positive for the virus include Palm View Primary School, Maris Stella High, Victoria Junior College, Singapore Institute of Technology, Raffles Institution, as well as Fengshan PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots preschool and Dover Court International School.

To date, Singapore has 1,623 cases of the virus, including 406 who have fully recovered and six who have died.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related stories:

COVID-19: Singapore will do its part as global citizen – PM Lee

COVID-19: 'Very small number' taking advantage of Temporary Relief Fund

COVID-19: Temporary Bill passed to allow government to enforce enhanced safe distancing measures

COVID-19: Man who breached Stay-Home Notice to eat bak kut teh charged

COVID-19: Most workplaces to close from 7 April; schools to roll out full home-based learning