Dannevirke schools dealing with Covid 'day by day'

Dannevirke's Central Kindergarten has been closed for the week. Photo / Supplied

Dannevirke schools and early childhood centres are doing the best they can as Covid continues to impact the community.

As of Monday, there were 639 active cases in the Tararua and 5374 active cases in the MidCentral District Health Board rohe.

One kindergarten has been forced to close for a week.

Dannevirke Kindergarten Association manager Antoinette Perry said she had been struggling to fully staff the kindergarten since the mandates were imposed last year.

One staff member had tested positive for Covid.

Perry said she had been asking parents to keep their children at home if they were unwell.

She said she was very appreciative of the support from the kindergarten community through what was a tough time for everyone.

The decision to close the kindergarten for a week was not made lightly.

Some students at Dannevirke High School have been rostered for at-home learning as the school copes with Covid. Photo / Supplied

Dannevirke High School principal Di Carter said on Monday that the senior students had been rostered at home as some students were off sick with Covid and the school was also short of teachers.

The situation would be revisited later in the week.

Carter said the school had a plan which was able to be put in place

"We always knew we'd all be hit," she said.

The school was still following protocols with masks and ensuring those students who were unwell stayed home.

Carter said the school also had RATs which she could give out to students.

She said everything was working well and the school was taking things "day by day".

A number of schools have also advised their students have tested positive and were asking parents to keep those children at home and to follow all protocols as required by the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Education reported last week that 139 schools, kura and early learning centres in the Manawatu/Taranaki/Whanganui region had reported cases as of March 17.

Sean Teddy, leader of operations and integration, said schools and early learning services had layers of preventative measures in place to protect teachers/support staff, students and children.

"Public health advice has remained consistent throughout the Covid-19 response that school/kura environments are a lower risk for transmission of Covid-19."

Schools and early learning centres had been given advice such as ventilation and protocols such as wearing masks, physical distancing and good hygiene practices.

"However, where we have cases in our community, we will also see cases in our schools/kura. Where that does occur, schools/kura are following guidance from Health and the Ministry of Education and supporting those cases to stay at home," Teddy said.

"Schools/kura and ELS are doing a great job providing up to date health information and assurance to their students, staff, and parent communities that everything that needs to be done is being done and their safety and wellbeing is the top priority."