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School closed for cleaning amid uncertainty over source of problem
First Vice-President of the Barbados Union of Teachers and Chair of its health and safety committee, Julian Pierre. (FP)
written by Sheria Brathwaite | Updated by Barbados Today | 04/07/2025
St Bernard’s Primary School was forced to close on Thursday after a sudden outbreak of illness among students, triggering alarm among teachers and parents and prompting an urgent investigation by public health officials, Barbados TODAY has learned.
The St Joseph school was shut after a growing number of students began presenting with rashes, sores, and peeling skin—symptoms health authorities say may be linked to highly contagious conditions such as hand, foot and mouth disease, impetigo, or scarlet fever.
“A lot of children [are] falling ill,” said Julian Pierre, first vice-president of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) and chair of its health and safety committee. “About three weeks ago, one of the teachers had recognised that one of the children had a rash about her body. On checking with the parents, they had identified that it was possible that it could have been an allergic reaction to fruit juice. However, since then, the same child displayed different symptoms, which would have included sores around the mouth and on the tongue.”
Pierre said the child’s condition worsened over time, and others who sat near her began to develop similar symptoms.
“The child also displayed what we would call skinning of hands, where the skin on the hands begins to flake and come off. Children who sat around the student next to her and in front of her started to display these similar symptoms. Some children had a rash as well. That number had risen from one to four, up to about 13 in the class,” he explained.
The initial cases were concentrated in Infants B, but students in other classes have since exhibited similar signs. In response, teachers urgently requested a meeting with education officials.
“The deputy chief, with a quick response, arranged a meeting with the staff [on Tuesday] to discuss the concern,” Pierre said, adding that the Ministry of Health was brought in the following day.
Pierre confirmed that a team from the St John Polyclinic—a senior environmental officer and community nurses—visited the school on Wednesday to conduct assessments and begin testing.
“They are unsure up to this point as to what it could be. They’re looking at a number of possibilities. However, it is of concern to the school because based on the options that they would have mentioned… all three of them are highly contagious,” Pierre said.
The school was closed on Thursday for what the Ministry of Education described as a cleaning, but Pierre expressed concern about this measure in the absence of a confirmed diagnosis.
“Without identifying what it is that is going around, I’m not sure as to what they’re going to be cleaning for. If you’re cleaning for a particular thing, you would know what chemicals to use. However, not knowing up to this time what it is, the staff is very concerned for their health. They don’t live alone. They have young children. They have ageing parents,” the union official said.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness primarily affecting children under five, characterised by fever, mouth sores and skin rash. However, Pierre pointed out that health officials have indicated that adults can also carry and spread the disease.
Impetigo, another possibility being explored, is a bacterial skin infection that causes red sores, while scarlet fever, often linked to strep throat, presents with a red rash, high fever and a “strawberry” tongue. All three conditions are known for their rapid transmission in close-contact environments.
“Students have been tested at random. More testing is to take place. However, under recommendation from the nurses, once we see any children displaying symptoms, they should be sent home. The parents are advised to seek medical attention to rule out any of these contagious diseases,” Pierre said.
With 117 students and 21 staff at the rural school—including teachers, janitors and school meal workers—concerns are mounting over how widely the illness may have spread.
“Obviously, because it is a community school, there are students who travel together to and from school. Some live in the same house. They play outside together,” Pierre said. “If it is something highly contagious… we had to take certain measures in terms of trying to more or less quarantine those who have been showing symptoms.”
He added: “When we think about how the other diseases are spread in terms of saliva, things being airborne… this is in the term where you would find students doing tests, teachers collecting papers, passing on papers, correcting papers. Adults could be carriers who may not show the symptoms that a child would carry. So, it is a lot of uncertainty among the staff at the school.”
The Ministry of Health has launched a formal investigation, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George.
He told Barbados TODAY: “We are conducting an investigation…. We can’t confirm just yet what the diagnosis is. But the teams have already visited, and we are putting plans in action to make sure that the situation is contained.”
Late on Thursday, Deputy Chief Education Officer Julia Beckles said a statement from the ministry would be forthcoming.
It is uncertain how long the school will remain closed. Pierre questioned the feasibility of a thorough industrial cleaning being completed in a single day.
“Realistically, I don’t think that detailed industrial cleaning of an entire school can happen in one work day,” the union official said. “It is very concerning for us…. We just want to ensure that everyone—students, staff, families—remain safe until we know exactly what we’re dealing with.”
Classes suspended at Gordon Walters Primary after child hospitalised, others fall ill
written by Sheria Brathwaite | Updated by Barbados Today | 09/07/2025
A primary school in Christ Church was abruptly closed on
Tuesday after a seven-year-old pupil was admitted to intensive care with a
suspected infectious illness, leaving parents and teachers demanding answers.
The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) has confirmed that a
pupil of Gordon Walters Primary School, in St Patrick's, was being treated in
the Intensive Care Unit, and at least six of his 11 classmates have also fallen
ill, with high fever the most common symptom reported.
Teachers are now calling on health authorities to provide
answers, as investigations continue into the child's condition and the cause of
the cluster of student absences.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the Ministry of
Education said the decision to close the school was made "out of caution
for the health and safety of its staff and students" after being notified
by the Principal of the hospital admission.
Speaking to Barbados TODAY at the school, BUT Vice-President
Julian Pierre, who chairs the union's health and safety committee, said the
incident had left staff deeply concerned.
"There are a number of students in a particular class -
I think the class has 12 students - where about seven of the students are out
sick. The general symptom of that class, as reported, was high fever," he
disclosed.
"There are also students from other classes who are
absent, reasons being unknown.
Similar to the case at St Bernard's Primary School, the
staff is concerned as to what it possibly could be."
Pierre noted that no official diagnosis had yet been made
regarding the child in hospital.
"There has been a report or confirmation from the Chief
Medical Officer that there are no cases of scarlet fever," he said.
News of the hospitalisation began circulating on Monday
night, and teachers met with the Principal the following morning. Many
expressed discomfort about continuing classes given the uncertainty and the
child's condition.
"Teachers said they were uncomfortable.
The level of anxiety was high, especially after what
happened at St Bernard's and the fact that this child had to be
hospitalised," Pierre said. "They're worried it could be a highly
contagious disease."
The education ministry said in its statement: "The
Principal of Gordon Walters Primary conducted a staff briefing this morning to
update staff on the student's welfare. Some teachers communicated feelings of
discomfort to the Principal, and choosing to err on the side of caution, [the
ministry] closed the school at 11:35 a.m."
The Ministry of Health was actively investigating the
symptoms and circumstances surrounding the child's admission, the ministry
said.
"As per protocols and best practices, the immediate
contacts have been identified and are being appropriately managed," the
statement added.
Despite those assurances, Pierre said the mood among
teachers remained tense.
The situation comes just a week after St Bernard's Primary
in St Joseph was forced to close for two days. Several students fell ill at
that school, prompting industrial cleaning and a full inspection by health
officials. While scarlet fever was ruled out in that instance, two isolated
cases of hand, foot and mouth disease were suspected. However, some staff
remain unconvinced.
Now, teachers at Gordon Walters are demanding greater
transparency from health authorities. Pierre insisted that parents, staff, and
the public deserve clear communication.
"There has to be some level of transparency in that if
the health officials say it is not a particular thing, there has to be some
confirmation to the public as to what it is.
This is about the safety of children and those who teach
them," Pierre said. "We need clear, timely information and swift
action to prevent panic and protect everyone involved."
As investigations continue, the BUT is urging parents to be
extra cautious.
"We're asking parents during this time to be vigilant
as to the status of their children," Pierre advised. "Check their
skin and so on, make sure that they're feeling fine. You know that within the
school environment, there are many different viruses and bacteria that will
pass throughout the school year.
"If you see anything that is irregular, seek medical
attention... hopefully it is something that can be treated as soon as possible
so there is no further spread of whatever it is that the child may be
experiencing."
The Ministry of Educational Transformation has confirmed
that Gordon Walters Primary will remain closed until further notice, pending
the outcome of medical investigations and a joint decision with the Ministry of
Health.
The current school term ends on Thursday for students.
Health officials confirm rare illness at primary school
written by Sheria Brathwaite | Updated by Barbados Today | 10/07/2025
A rare case of scarlet fever at a Christ Church primary school has left one child in intensive care, but health officials insisted on Wednesday that the situation is under control, urging the public to remain calm as investigations and treatment continue.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George confirmed on Wednesday that the student from Gordon Walters Primary School who was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) earlier this week was diagnosed with the contagious bacterial infection – possibly the first such case in more than a decade.
“The diagnosis is confirmed. The child is doing better. [The child is] being treated appropriately,” Dr George told Barbados TODAY. “We will continue to investigate the closest contacts. This is not the first time that there has been scarlet fever in Barbados . . . but it is something that is very rare to me.”
The announcement follows the early closure of the school on Tuesday after the child’s illness sparked concerns among teachers and parents. At least six other students in the same class reportedly fell ill with fever, triggering fears of a contagious outbreak.
While investigations by the Ministry of Health continued, Dr George was critical of the spread of misinformation and panic surrounding the case.
“We need to ask questions as to what is the purpose of this being circulated . . . and I can’t come up with an answer,” he said. “The child has been receiving treatment and is improving. Investigations continue by the ministry’s side—that’s all we can say at this point.”
President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), Dr Lynda Williams, also strongly cautioned the public against panic, describing the illness as both treatable and containable.
“Scarlet fever is what we call streptococcal pharyngitis or strep throat—people might know it better by that name,” she explained. “It is a rare thing to see [a case] of this in the modern antibiotic era, because once it’s caught early, it can be treated effectively with antibiotics.”
Dr Williams said scarlet fever is a more severe manifestation of strep throat, commonly affecting children.
“It’s an infection that not only affects the throat, but also has other manifestations in the body, particularly in the skin. You see a fine rash that blanches with pressure, starting in the groin, then spreading to the trunk and mouth. That’s the toxin being released from the bacteria in the throat.”
She added that in earlier decades, scarlet fever was often a precursor to rheumatic fever, a more severe illness affecting the heart and joints.
“But we don’t see that very often any more because these illnesses are picked up and treated earlier,” she said, pointing out scarlet fever is “contagious between people, but it’s usually picked up early and treated with antibiotics. It’s just that it’s rare for it to progress to the place where we’re seeing the skin rash, the full scarlet fever.”
Asked about how it spreads, Dr Williams said streptococcus bacteria is commonly present in the environment and may follow a viral illness.
“Most things start with a viral illness, and then a bacterial infection follows. Scarlet fever is a more severe manifestation of strep, but again, it’s not new—it’s just not commonly seen any more.”
Public health authorities are now conducting contact tracing at Gordon Walters Primary, identifying students who may have been exposed or are showing early signs of illness.
“This is what public health does,” Dr Williams said. “They look at who was in contact, what classrooms were affected, and who is exhibiting symptoms like high fever and sore throat. Those are the ones we want to catch early—before it progresses.”
She stressed that the presence of the illness should not be taken as a reflection of poor hygiene or unsanitary conditions at the school.
“It’s not a matter of the school being dirty, or the child coming from a dirty home. It’s not about that. People travel, people pick up things . . . viral and bacterial infections are part of life. What matters is that we recognise and treat early.”
Efforts to reach the Ministry of Education for a comment were unsuccessful up to publication. When contacted, First Vice-President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) and Chair of the union’s Health and Safety Committee, Julian Pierre, declined to comment, saying any official response must come from either the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education.
Dr Williams also urged government and public health communicators to provide more transparent information from the outset to avoid unnecessary fear. She said public sensitisation was extremely important, especially as people were on edge following COVID-19.
“I think there’s a little too much hype when things like this come out, and people get into a state of panic,” she said. “There needs to be more explanation and clearer communication at the beginning. It’s not a new illness. It’s a very old one. It’s just that it broke out among this group of children . . . I can’t think back to another episode like this in the last ten, fifteen years. It’s not common for this to happen.”
Dr Williams said the illness is “easily contained”, and no extraordinary measures are needed beyond basic monitoring and prompt treatment.
“We catch them early. We treat them with antibiotics early. The whole thing is contained and the child does not progress. This is something that goes on every day in Barbados, without fanfare. The only difference is that this child became seriously ill. That’s not common—but it can happen. What we shouldn’t do is not panic.”
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