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Update - February 19, 2021
Additional prevention measures for schools and child care centres
Due to the recent emergence of COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) in Ontario, new safety measures have been added in schools and child care centres to keep students, children, and staff safe. These province-wide measures have been rolled out by the Ministry of Education.
As always, parents and guardians must screen their child each day before going to school or daycare. Grade 9-12 students must also verify that they have completed the daily screen once they arrive at school.
The following changes are effective immediately:
Staff, students and children with any new or worsening symptom of COVID-19, as indicated in the school and child care screening tool, even those with only one symptom, must stay home until:
- They receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
- They receive an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional, or
- It has been 10 days since their symptom onset and they are feeling better.
All asymptomatic household contacts (not experiencing symptoms) of symptomatic individuals are required to quarantine until the symptomatic household member:
- receives a negative COVID-19 test result, or
- receives an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional
If the symptomatic individual tests positive, or is not tested and does not receive an alternative diagnosis from a health care professional, the symptomatic individual must isolate (including from household members) for 10 days from symptom onset, and all household contacts must isolate until 14 days from their last contact with the symptomatic individual.
The provincial school and child care screening tool has been updated to provide this direction.
If you have questions, please call the Health Unit’s School Call Centre at 1-800-563-2808.
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