Wellington Girls' College allows most students to return to school after measles cases

Most Wellington Girls' College students will be back in class on Thursday after three confirmed cases of measles at the school.

Year 9 to 11 students have been working from home since Monday.

Health NZ originally identified more than 900 close contacts after the school's prize giving.

But the school says public health had now reduced the number of 'close contacts' to all prize winners, all performing groups and all staff at the prize giving practice.

Wellington Girls' College said five staff and 23 students were in isolation until next Thursday, with some other students told they could not come to school because they were not fully vaccinated.

The decision was made to give Health New Zealand time to trace the close contacts, give staff and students time to check their immunisation status, and allow Year 12 and 13 students to begin NCEA and Scholarship exams with minimal stress.

The school will not hold any assemblies this week, but hopes to be able to from 10 November.

There are five staff and 23 students in isolation until 13 November, with more students told they cannot come to school because they are not fully vaccinated.

Anyone else who attended a prize giving event on 29 October is considered a 'casual contact' and is asked to monitor symptoms until 19 November.

Health New Zealand has also provided Wellington Girls' College's nurse with swabs to test any student or staff member who becomes unwell.

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