Dunedin high school isolates student after travelling from Auckland without exemption

September 22, 2021
Otago Boys High School.

A South Island secondary school had a Covid scare earlier this week after a student travelled from Auckland to Dunedin without a travel exemption.

Otago Boys' High School are working with police and health authorities after one of their students travelled from Level 4 lockdown to Dunedin on September 17.

It's understood the student stayed with family for the majority of the weekend, however they then spent Sunday evening at the school's hostel, School House, before arriving at school for first period on Monday.

Otago Boys High School rector Richard Hall said in an email to parents about the situation that the school was informed about the student travelling without an exemption at 9am on Monday and immediately implemented their isolation policy for the student.

"[We] organised a Covid-19 test, the results of which, we have had back this morning and they are negative," Hall said.

"The student is isolating away from the school and hostel.

"He will not return to either the school or the hostel until we have confirmation from the Ministry of Health that it is safe for him to do so.

"At each stage in this process the school has sought advice from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, as well as the NZ Police.

"The information we have is that the student is currently seen as ‘low risk’ as he is not presenting any symptoms and is not understood to have visited any places of interest in the Auckland or Waikato region."

Hall said the Ministry of Health advised the school and hostel can still function under Level 2 protocols.

Police told 1News in a statement they were working with the school to resolve the situation.

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