For the second time in less than a week, there is another COVID-19 school exposure within Island Health.
The health authority is reporting Wednesday night an exposure on Sep. 28 at Carihi Secondary School in Campbell River.
Island Health has initiated contact tracing to identify any staff and/or students that need to self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms.
On the Island Health ‘Exposures In Schools’ page, officials say, “if your child’s school has been notified of an exposure, no action is required unless you are contacted by Public Health or are otherwise directed by school officials.”
“A notification posted above does not necessarily mean your child has been exposed to COVID-19,” Island Health says.
The health authority says if it receives a positive COVID-19 test result, a rigorous protocol is followed:
- Contact tracing is initiated to determine how the individual was infected and who they were in close contact with.
- We identify and notify close contacts who may be at an increased risk, and advise them to self-isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
- If COVID-19 is identified in a student or staff and it is determined they were not at school when they were infectious, no public notification will be provided because there is no exposure to report.
- Only Public Health Nurses and Medical Health Officers determine who is a close contact. Learning groups, friends or other connections may not be determined to be a close contact.
- Public Health staff work closely with the school and school district throughout the case and contact management process to maintain close communication with the school community.
Earlier this week, Island Health reported the first COVID-19 school exposure in the region in a confirmed case of a student at Alberni District Secondary.
That exposure has been removed and archived by Island Health since it is more than 14 days since the last exposure date, Sep. 22.
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