STUDENTS at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School are being offered precautionary vaccinations against Hepatitis B following reports of needle stick injuries at the school.

The school is investigating reports that 16 year 9 students were pricked by an implement used in a blood sugar testing kit.

The kit belongs to a student who tests his blood sugar levels, and a school spokesman said the incident took place at break-time at the school on Thursday.

The school said on its website that the incident involved year 9 boys only, and it has been working with Public Health England.

Public Health England’s Cheshire and Merseyside’s Public Health Protection team said it was working with the school and Cheshire East Council to offer reassurance and advice to parents and pupils following reports of needle stick injuries.

A spokesman said: “A small number of students at the school are being offered precautionary tests for blood-borne viruses and vaccination against Hepatitis B.”

Consultant Dr Anjila Shah said: “This was a routine response to an incident of this kind. I would like to stress that any risk to the students who were affected by these incidents would have been very low, and the pupils did not suffer any injuries. The offer of vaccination really is a precautionary measure.”

Executive headteacher Denis Oliver said on the school’s website: "A number of boys from year 9 have reported they were pricked by an implement used in a simple blood sugar testing kit.

"The kit belongs to a student who tests his own blood sugar levels at set points in the day as part of an ongoing medical issue.

"A full investigation is being carried out, and the parents of students affected have been contacted.

"We have been working with Public Health England to ensure that the best medical advice is available. A letter from PHE has been sent to the parents of the boys involved. If anyone has any further concerns please email office@hccs.info"

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver that is caused by a virus.

Approximately 70 per cent of patients with acute Hepatitis B will have no symptoms.

The remaining 30 per cent may have flu-like illness, sickness, stomach pains, diarrhoea and jaundice (when the skin turns

yellow).

The main transmission routes for Hepatitis B are contact with contaminated blood, unprotected sex, shared needles and syringes and transmission from mother to baby during delivery. It cannot be passed on through normal social contact.

A vaccine that prevents Hepatitis B infection is given to individuals who may be at risk. Additional information on Hepatitis B can be found at britishlivertrust.org.uk