Haredi students wear face masks at school
Haredi students wear face masks at schoolYossi Zeliger/Flash90

Nearly 100 haredi kindergarteners were ordered into isolation this week in two separate cases, after a teacher’s aide and a kindergarten teacher who came into contact with the students tested positive for the coronavirus.

Thirty children from the Talmud Torah Hachmat Shlomo in Jerusalem have been placed in isolation after a teacher’s assistant at the school was diagnosed with the coronavirus, Kikar Hashabbat reported Monday morning.

The teacher’s assistant showed signs of illness just days after the school reopened.

According to a statement by the Jerusalem municipality, the teacher’s assistant came into contact with two groups of students, all of whom have been placed in isolation until next week.

“A teacher’s assistant for private kindergartens which are not connected to the municipality tested positive for the coronavirus. The man was sent into quarantine, as required. Following a check, the Education and Health ministries decided to send about 30 students who were in the [teacher’s assistant’s] area in two separate groups into isolation. The children will remain in isolation until next Sunday.”

“In addition, staff members who were also in contact with [the teacher’s assistant] will also be sent into isolation.”

The city of Jerusalem emphasized in the statement that the teacher’s assistant wore a mask while on campus, in keeping with Health Ministry requirements.

In a separate case, 60 other children from five different kindergartens were also ordered into isolation after a kindergarten teacher who had visited all five of the schools was diagnosed with the coronavirus, Galei Tzahal reported Sunday night.

The children from the five kindergartens will also be required to remain in isolation until next Sunday.