4-Year-Old With COVID Symptoms Develops Hypothermia After School Isolates Him In Cold 'Outdoor Shed'

A 4-year-old boy in the U.K. allegedly developed hypothermia after his school isolated him in a cold "outdoor shed" because he had COVID-19 symptoms.

The boy’s mother, Chloé Wilby, said her son, Mason, had developed a mild cold and had a little cough after visiting a holiday park in Wigton. When he went to his school the following day, the boy was isolated due to their COVID protocol, The Times reported. The exact date of the incident was not known.

The school then called Wilby to pick her son up as soon as possible. It took some time for the mother to reach the school as she had to rely on public transport. When she arrived, the school official brought her son out of an "outdoor shed" that had no heating.

"He couldn’t talk, shivering like mad, hands red, I had to stick them up my top to warm up, eyes watering like mad, snotty nose down his face. They even made him eat his lunch outside, no toys, no games, nothing," she told News and Star on Monday.

The school doctor confirmed the boy had developed hypothermia, following which an ambulance had to be called. It wasn't clear if the child was later tested for COVID-19.

Geoff Norman, the headteacher at Wigton Infant School, told the outlet, "The priority for everyone in Wigton Infant School has always been the wellbeing of the children, which now more than ever includes reducing the chance of infection across the school and caring for children who are ill at school."

"This includes moving children who display COVID-19 symptoms to a separate space with a member of staff until they can be picked up by a parent or carer. For several months we have been using our outdoor classroom for this purpose and this has worked well," he added.

Norman added following the incident the school had "reviewed their approach."

"For children who require isolation in school due to COVID-19 symptoms, we will now use a room adjacent to the school office. As currently, pupils will always have a member of staff with them," he said.