![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/high-school-students-wearing-uniform-703220571.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA SECONDARY school has been forced to turn away three year groups due to a "rapid spike" in Covid cases. <\/p>\n
Uppingham Community College in Rutland told parents in\u00a0a letter\u00a0yesterday that 13 teaching staff members were absent on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It means children in years 8 to 10 will be working from home between today and Friday.<\/p>\n
Principal Ben Solly wrote: "We have covered all lessons so far, using our staff who are in school, along with some external supply teachers we have been able to secure. <\/p>\n
"However, we have reached a point where it is becoming unsafe to have all year groups in school."<\/p>\n
He added that three more teachers would not be in school today, with leaders expecting \u201cthere to be more Covid cases confirmed overnight\u201d.<\/p>\n
Pupils in year 7 and 11 will be expected to attend school as normal. <\/p>\n Fears around the new Pirola Covid variant, or BA.2.86, have\u00a0prompted ministers to\u00a0bring forward this autumn\u2019s vaccine rollout\u00a0as they figure out how dangerous\u00a0it really is.<\/p>\n It comes as UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data suggests cases of the bug have crept up to 54 as of September 18 – an increase of 12 in a week.<\/p>\n Of these cases, 10 have been hospitalised\u00a0– though no deaths have yet been reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n These figures likely underestimate the real situation, as the government spiked nationwide testing.<\/p>\n Millions have already had the\u00a0bug\u00a0with the Brits having a high level of protection due to the huge\u00a0vaccine roll out.<\/p>\n The NHS advises people with symptoms try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms. <\/p>\n It says people should only return to normal activities when they feel better or do not have a high temperature.<\/p>\n If a child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare.<\/p>\n Although people are no longer required to do a Covid-19 rapid lateral flow test if you have symptoms, if someone tests positive they should stay home. <\/p>\n The NHS says those under 18 who test positive should stay home for for 3 days after the day the test was taken.<\/p>\n While those over 18 shouldstay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days after taking the test.<\/p>\n Although we don't know what the Pirola symptoms are just yet, doctors have been reporting the Covid disease, in recent months, has been following a very distinctive pattern.<\/p>\n Dr Erick Eiting from Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York, US, told NBC news: "It isn\u2019t the same\u00a0typical symptoms\u00a0that we were seeing before.<\/p>\n "It\u2019s a lot of congestion, sometimes sneezing, usually a\u00a0mild sore throat."<\/p>\n First, the sore throat emerges followed by a stuffy nose, he explained.<\/p>\n UK doctors have noticed a similar pattern in symptoms.<\/p>\n In February 2021,\u00a0GPs called\u00a0for a runny nose and sore throat to be added to the UK\u2019s official list of\u00a0Covid\u00a0symptoms.<\/p>\n The NHS website used to only list the three main symptoms of Covid are high temperature, a new and continuous cough, and a loss of taste and smell.<\/p>\n It eventually added upper respiratory tract symptoms, but they currently fall lower down the list.<\/p>\n Some materials say a runny or stuffy nose are considered 'rare', and a sore throat occurs only 'sometimes'.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Zoe COVID Symptom Study, which collects data on self-reported symptoms in the UK, said the five most common symptoms of Omicron are:<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/caucasian-alternative-family-female-caucasian-835683401.jpg\")
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