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Parents across the province are getting more detailed information about COVID-19 protocols in schools.
According to the provincial government’s Safe Schools Plan, the response can range from just one classroom getting information about a positive case to the entire school being notified.
It depends on the situation, though, and the success of contact tracing.
Testing Access
Effective immediately, and during the school year, the province says teachers and school staff will have priority access to testing. To help with additional testing demand, two drive-through testing centres will be set up in Regina and in Saskatoon.
No referrals will be needed; only a valid health card. Locations and hours will be announced in the next few days.
The province says there will also be voluntary COVID-19 testing in schools that will take place with regular immunizations, but it will require parental consent. When there are other voluntary COVID-19 testing dates, parents will be given one week’s notice.
Areas with higher student populations and COVID cases will have more frequent testing done.
COVID-19 in schools
If a student, teacher or other staff member is sick, they will be asked to put on a mask and they’ll be isolated until someone can come and get them. They’ll be encouraged to go to a drive-through test site and all areas the person visited in the school will be disinfected.
If someone tests positive for the virus, contact tracing will begin, and everyone in that teacher’s or student’s classroom or cohort — including parents and caregivers — will be notified by public health and the school’s e-mail.
Close contacts will also be given priority testing.
Students and teachers in different classes can also get tested, but it’s unclear from the information whether they’ll also be notified by public health.
Outbreak declarations
If there are two or more students in a school that test positive — whether they’re in the same class or not — an outbreak at that school will be publicly declared.
According to the province, it will then allow for public health to mobilize a co-ordinated response to the infections.
An outbreak also doesn’t mean automatic closure of the school. Only one wing or some classes may need to be isolated. In those cases, the students, parents and teachers will be told to stay home and they’ll be given alternative opportunities for school instruction.
A school closure may occur if there are more than two cases in more than one class, there were shared common spaces and contact tracing can’t establish links between the cases.
According to the provincial government, the methods and approach will be assessed throughout the school year, and will be adjusted as necessary based on transmission trends and risk.
