A SCHOOL has come under fire after telling parents coughs and colds are “no reason” for absence.

The remark, made in a William Read Primary School’s weekly newsletter, has been branded “potentially dangerous” by doctors.

After thanking parents and children for helping the school, in Long Road, Canvey, achieve a weekly attendance of 95 per cent, deputy headteacher Karina Garrick said: “Coughs and colds are a natural part of winter and no reason for children (or teachers) to stay at home.

“Rest assured, the more germs children are exposed to the better their immune system becomes as they get older.”

Long-serving Westcliff GP Dr Marimuthu Velmurugan said: “I’ve seen it with my own eyes, when a child who contracts a cough or cold isn’t taken to a doctor. I’ve seen children end up in hospital.

“William Read is a good school. But I don’t think schools who haven’t got a nurse on site should ask children to go in if they have a cough or cold.

“Only a qualified nurse can make that judgement call. Parents must use their instinct, and common sense will prevail.”

Another Southend-based doctor, who did not want to be named, said health complications can sometimes arise when a child catches the common cold virus.

He added: “I understand it makes sense to encourage children to go to school. But from a healthcare perspective it is potentially dangerous.

“If a child’s immune system is low they will be more likely to catch the virus and pass it on, so it spreads. Many children have other health complications, so being surrounded by people with viruses could cause problems.”

Ms Garrick told the Echo there are no children with underlying medical conditions “to her knowledge” at the primary school.

Defending her comments in the newsletter, she said: “Coughs and colds are not a reason to not come to school. We go to work, so children should come to school.

“If a child has just a sniffle, then they will be okay to come in.

“We have safety measures, and a duty of care towards the children, and we ask parents to take a common sense approach.”

According to NHS guidelines: “A child with a minor cough or cold may attend school. If the cold is accompanied by a raised temperature, shivers or drowsiness, the child should stay off school.

Ray Howard, Canvey West councillor, defended the school.

He said: “I’m a supporter of healthcare professionals, but on this occasion I have to disagree with them and support the school.

“The staff have a hard job to do, and if they don’t hit their attendance rate they’re criticised.

“If a child has the occasional cold or cough, they should be sent to school, it doesn’t do an awful lot of harm.”