The COVID-19 infection rate of pupils and staff within Scottish schools has been revealed, with new figures published today.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been reacting to the statistics, which relate to the first nine weeks of term after schools returned in August.
Data from Public Health Scotland showed that of the 700,000 pupils who have been back in classes, there were 1600 positive coronavirus cases recorded. This is around 0.2 per cent.
Sturgeon also says that 78 per cent of schools had no COVID-19 cases at all over that period, and of those that did 50 per cent had just one case.
She said at her Wednesday afternoon briefing: "We've asked Public Health Scotland to look at the numbers there have been in the first term back, that nine week period, and these are the statistics I've set out today.
"More than three-quarters, 78 per cent of schools, had no cases of COVID at all. Of those that did, half of them had one case in that whole nine week period.
"Out of 700,000 school pupils, 1600 were positive. That's not no cases and I'm not saying there is zero risk of transmission, but it puts it into some kind of perspective."
She added: The risk of transmission in schools is relatively low, and that risk, for now, based on the situation, is outweighed by the risk to young people of having them out school for extended periods of time."
Doctor David Caesar, interim deputy chief medical officer, spoke about the rate of infection among those who work in schools.
And he said that it mirrors the situation being seen in wider communities. He added: "We look at this often - what is the rate of infection like in adults who are employed in schools, and they have stayed relatively stable whether the schools are open or not.
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"So while there are cases, there are teachers, support teachers and other staff getting COVID, that tends to mirror the community prevalence rather than being driven by in-school transmission.
"This is not an exact science but it is what the statistics would suggest to us."
It was reported earlier on Wednesday that 400 pupils at Auchmuty High School are self-isolating after an outbreak in which in ten pupils and six staff members tested positive.
These are, of course, not included in the figures published today.
