PARENTS have suggested a city school should close for a week to take the pressure off after a Covid outbreak.

And Worcester News has been told more than 40 schools in the county are currently being supported after a number of cases of the virus, including the return of bubbles.

Parents of pupils at Pitmaston Primary School have said they understand more than 80 children are self isolating after the outbreak at the Malvern Road-based school.

Dr Kathryn Cobain, director of Public Health for Worcestershire, said: “We have been advised of a number of positive Covid-19 cases at Pitmaston.

"Public Health Worcestershire are working closely with the school and additional measures are being put into place according to the school’s outbreak management plan.

"The school remains open. Current Covid-19 cases have been identified and asked to self-isolate and we encourage anyone who is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 to self-isolate and book a PCR test."

A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, suggested Pitmaston should now close so all children and staff could help reduce the spread. The parent said in an email sent out late last week parents were told 64 children and eight staff were off, but by Monday morning they understood it had risen to "86 children with Covid 19 or waiting on Covid results now".

Another parent told us: "At school drop off a few mums said Pitmaston should close for the rest of the week and all children get a PCR test done and work from home."

Meanwhile Worcestershire County Council says, as of January 17, its Local Outbreak Response Team (LORT) has been "liaising with 41 schools in Worcestershire as they require Covid-related support."

A spokesman for the authority said: "LORT is continuing to work closely with schools providing support around appropriate extra measures.

"This can include the reintroduction of cohorting groups (bubbles), which is the right approach for some schools.”

Kate Brunt, chief executive officer of Rivers CofE Academy Trust overseeing a number of schools in the region, said: "It is a mixed picture across the trust.

"Some schools are more affected than others, they go in waves. All schools are fully open."

Bryony Banes, headteacher from Kempsey Primary School, said: "We have had a couple of members of staff who contracted Covid and some pupils. We have been very fortunate."