20 infected, many exposed to coronavirus at Suutarinkylä school

Suutarinkyläperuskoulu (Comprehensive School) will go for exceptional teaching arrangements from Monday for one week after 20 students and staff of the school were infected with coronavirus while several others were exposed to it.

Education Division’s Deputy Executive Director Satu Järvenkallas on Friday decided that the grades 7-9 in the school will transition into exceptional teaching arrangements, said the City of Helsinki in a press release.

The decision was taken in consultation with the school’s principal and after hearing the statement of the Social Services and Health Care Division’s Epidemiological Operations Unit.

The exceptional teaching arrangements will take place from 1 March to 5 March.

There have been 20 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and several exposures among the pupils and school staff in the lower secondary school of Suutarinkylänperuskoulu.

In total, Suutarinkylänperuskoulu has 625 pupils, of which 330 will go for distance learning.

The decision to transition into distance learning will ensure that teaching can continue safely.

The school will provide parents and guardians with more detailed instructions on Wilma.

Pupils in other grades as well as special-needs education, and preparatory education in grades 7–9 will continue in contact teaching.