Thunder Bay’s Medical Officer of Health agrees with the changes inside of schools.
Dr. Janet DeMille echoed the opinion from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore Wednesday that equipping students and teachers with rapid antigen tests will help in managing the spread of COVID-19 outside of the home.
“We used to dismiss cohorts, especially if there were unvaccinated people,” DeMille told Acadia News Thursday. “But with all of the measures inside of the school setting, those individuals that are maybe in the same classroom (as a confirmed case) are no longer considered to be a high-risk contact. So really school can continue (to operate).”
Class and school closures will now be based on operational needs and parents will only be notified of a potential COVID-19 outbreak when approximately 30 per cent of students in the school are absent.
That will come in the form of a joint letter from the principal and Dr. DeMille.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce also promised a pair of rapid antigen tests to each student and staff member when in-class learning resumes next week.
DeMille notes more tests will empower you to make the next appropriate move, adding “Without having to go and book an appointment and get a PCR test, which is what we usually have to do, and then sit at home and wait for the result. Rapid tests are a really nice tool to have and I look forward to having them more readily available.”
Lecce noted Wednesday an additional 1.2 million rapid tests are expected to be distributed during the week of January 24.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests will only be utilized for students and staff who become symptomatic at school.
DeMille cautions it’s not just about testing, “we all have to take our responsibility to do the right thing, especially over the next couple of months. It’s more than just about potentially testing ourselves, it has to do with conducting a daily COVID-19 screening. If you have any symptoms, you should stay home and isolate. If you contract COVID-19, everyone in your household should also stay home and isolate.”
The province has made available this link with further instructions if you contract the virus.
