Pupils told to self-isolate after 'inconclusive' test can go back to Newport school
More than 100 secondary school pupils at a Shropshire school have been told they no longer need to self-isolate after a previously "inconclusive" test result returned negative.
Half of Year 7 at Burton Borough School in Newport have been informed a fellow student's coronavirus test has returned negative and they can all return to the classroom on Monday.
The cohort of pupils were sent home from the school on Audley Avenue and told to self-isolate yesterday after one girl's lateral flow test returned an unclear result.
A PCR test has since been retaken and returned negative.
Burton Borough School said all families affected will be informed via email.
A spokesman said: "All Year 7s who were asked to self-isolate do not need to anymore and can return to school on Monday.
"Thank you to the family of the student who had the inconclusive test for getting back to us so quickly."
Headteacher Krissi Carter said the decision to self-isolate the group of students was a precautionary move that was agreed with the local public health authorities.
In a letter to parents on Friday she said: "This morning, a lateral flow test a student carried out came back with a very faint second grey line and did not indicate clearly whether it was a positive test or not.
"On checking, we also found it to be a slightly smaller cartridge than all of the others that had been used, even though it was included in the same batch and was of the same product type.
"Following consent from the student's family, two more lateral flow tests were carried out on the student by our medically trained volunteers, both of which came back negative.
"Following discussions with the health protection hub, it was decided that as a precaution, all close contacts of the student would be sent home to isolate immediately, as the matter was looked into further."
