An additional three COVID-19 exposures have been reported at Greater Victoria schools, according to the volunteer-run BC School COVID Tracker.
The first possible exposure occurred from Sept. 8 to 10 at Campus View Elementary in Saanich. From Sept. 7 to 9, students and staff at Ecole Victor-Brodeur in Esquimalt were also at risk of being exposed to the virus. Finally, anyone who attended Spencer Middle School in Langford on Sept. 7 or 9 may also have come in contact with a positive case of COVID-19.
The three new exposures are on top of four already reported in the region since the school year started. None have been reported publicly by Island Health after provincial health authorities decided to only publicize clusters or outbreaks – requiring two or more connected cases – and not exposures. Instead, the health authority is only notifying the family of students or staff who it knows likely came in contact with a confirmed case of the virus.
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To fill the information gap, two moms have voluntarily started collecting data from school communities across B.C. and publicizing it on their online tracker site. Because it depends on submitted information, the BC School COVID Tracker does not necessarily have every exposure listed.
Black Press Media has reached out to the Ministry of Health for comment on why it isn’t reporting exposures.
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