A MEMBER of the catering staff at Ysgol Friars in Bangor has been discovered to be suffering from Coronavirus.

As a result the school’s canteen has been closed from today and parents have been informed.

Headmaster Mr Neil Foden has written to parents stating: “A member of the canteen staff received a positive Covid-19 test result at the weekend. We have no evidence this was contracted in the school and the timescale suggests it did not originate here.

“As a precaution, we have decided not to wait for the outcome of track and trace but have closed the canteen until further notice. It will be closed at breaktime. At lunchtime, packed lunches will be served to free school meal pupils. All others will need to be provided with packed lunches by parents.

“Breakfast club will be moved to the hall but no food or drink will be provided.”

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a member of the council’s staff who works in Ysgol Friars’ kitchen has tested positive for coronavirus.

“As a precautionary measure, all the kitchen staff have been advised to stay home and to arrange a Covid-19 test. The school canteen has been temporarily closed so that a deep-clean can be carried out with pupils asked to bring packed-lunches for the time being.

“Ysgol Friars is working closely with the Council’s Education Department and Health, Safety and Wellbeing team to ensure that all appropriate measures are in place to protect pupils, staff and the wider community.

“The school remains open for pupils. In the meantime, anybody who is concerned that they or a member of their family may have Coronavirus symptoms should request a test immediately. Information about how to do so is available from https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-covid-19-test.”

Ysgol Friars is a co-educational community school with a long tradition dating back to 1557.