The Campbell River School District won’t be the first official body to inform parents if there’s been a COVID-19 exposure at one of its schools.
That job will instead fall to Island Health, Superintendent Jeremy Morrow said in an Oct. 5 letter to families.
The letter comes after the Island’s first exposure in a school: Alberni District Secondary School Sept. 14, 15, 17, 18 and 22.
Morrow explains what would happen should there be a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the school community.
First, Island Health would talk to the person who tested positive to begin contact tracing. Only close contacts would be identified and notified and “only Island Health can determine who is a close contact.”
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If a case of COVID-19 is identified in a student or staff member and Island Health determines they were not at school while infectious, no notification would go out as “there is no exposure to report.”
Island Health will give directives to identified close contacts that could include self-isolating and monitoring symptoms for 14 days.
According to the letter, Island Health will directly contact anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19 by phone or letter.
“If you are contacted by Island Health, please follow their advice carefully,” the letter said. “If you do not receive a phone call or letter from Island Health, your child should continue to go to school.”
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Island Health now has a dedicated page for listing exposures in schools. You can find it here: islandhealth.ca/learn-about-health/covid-19/exposures-schools.
Morrow writes that while there may be rumours of COVID cases in the district, Island Health would follow up “directly with anyone who may have been exposed and will work closely with the school district to provide students and parents with timely information.”
To respect privacy rights, should there be a case in the district, the school nor the school district would provide details on suspected or confirmed cases.
“We appreciate your ongoing understanding and support,” writes Morrow. “Stay healthy.”
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