UPDATE 7.30PM
ALL students will return to Macquarie College at Wallsend on Thursday, the day after the school called families to come and collect all 52 year two students after being advised a child in the grade had been in contact with a case of COVID-19.
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A Hunter New England Health spokeswoman said on Wednesday evening that the student and everyone in their grade could return to the school as normal on Thursday.
"The family was originally thought to be a close contact but after further investigation were managed as a casual contact," she said.
"The Hunter New England Health Public Health Unit is satisfied the family did everything they were required to do, including get tested.
"They are deemed very low risk and everyone can go back to school.
"There are no further restrictions on or requirements from the family or the school."
UPDATE, 2PM
A Macquarie College Wallsend junior student who was deemed to be a contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 has received a negative test result.
As reported earlier, the school called families of the year two cohort on Wednesday to collect their children and for the students to isolate at home until their affected classmate received their test result.
The school said the student had since received a negative test result but would still isolate with their family at home for 14 days, as required.
The school said the year two classrooms will be thoroughly cleaned and school will resume as normal on Thursday.
EARLIER
MACQUARIE College at Wallsend is calling families to come and collect all students in year two, after a student in the grade was found to be a contact of a confirmed case.
Principal Rohan Deanshaw said the student and their family were wearing masks when they used QR codes to check into a Goulburn service station on July 16, some time after a person who has since tested positive for COVID-19 visited the venue.
He said the family filled their vehicle with fuel and did not stop in Greater Sydney.
"This is a very law abiding family, they were simply transiting through," Mr Deanshaw said.
"There's no suggestion whatsoever they have done anything wrong, they haven't been anywhere they're not supposed to be and they're following all of the processes they're supposed to have followed."
Mr Deanshaw said NSW Health had told the family they were contacts of the confirmed case and required them to be tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of their result.
He said the family told the school, which has activated its COVID Safe Plan and is complying with all NSW Health advice.
"There's a good robust system in place, we simply activate that," Mr Deanshaw said.
IN THE NEWS:
"We've got capable, experienced staff to guide it and I think the parent community has confidence the school will take reasonable steps in the circumstances to minimise risks and that's what we're doing. We believe the risk here is very low but we're simply following the advice of NSW Health and going through that process."
He said there is an atmosphere of "calm" on Wednesday at the school as families arrive to collect the 52 year two students, who will be required to isolate until their affected classmate receives their test result, which he said is expected in the next few hours.
"There's a sense of calm, people understand the school - like all schools - has been keeping a constant flow of information to families in regards to COVID since this emerged last year so this is further updates published to the community today," he said.
"Parents are being contacted individually to collect the children, but there is a sense of calm, it's a proportional response to what is considered to be a low risk matter."
Mr Deanshaw said parents, siblings and relatives of students in the year two cohort are not deemed to be at risk and therefore do not have to be tested or isolate.
However he said staff who had been in contact with the year two cohort in the past 48 hours are required to be tested and isolate until they receive their result.
Students in other grades who have had contact with these staff do not have to be tested or isolate.
The school said in a statement the affected classrooms will be deep cleaned and families will be notified when the year two students are able to return to school.
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