Parents, carers and young people are being advised of a number of changes to testing, contact tracing and isolation that comes into effect from Sunday 1 May.

Latest advice on the way COVID-19 is being managed by Public Health means that from 1 May a “stay at home” message replaces self-isolation for people who have symptoms or have tested positive for COVID.

North Walls and Eday Schools will remain closed for the rest of this week due to COVID, with the aim of reopening on Monday 28 March.

Remote learning continues to be provided to pupils at home and parents are being kept informed on a daily basis.

The Council has welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement this week that face masks will still be required to be worn on public transport and most indoor public settings until at least early April.

The legal requirement to wear facemasks had been expected to be dropped on March 21 – but the rising number of COVID cases across Scotland has led to the delay.

If the past two years has proven anything, it’s how our young students are resilient to change.

Orkney’s 6^th year pupils are preparing for their first and last full, sit-down school exams next month.

Despite the best efforts of the teachers and parents supporting them, they have spent their entire senior phase – S4 to S6 – largely in a state of limbo, uncertain of what may happen from one week as a result of the pandemic.

The COVID infection rate in Orkney is now the highest in the UK.

Data shows 2,290 cases per 100,000 in the county – considerably higher than our island counterparts of Shetland (1,216) and the Western Isles (1,815) and the national average (1,000).

The widespread community transmission is putting a strain on a number of Council-run services – most notably schools, nurseries, health and care settings but also in areas of sport and leisure and quarries.