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Ontario Launches New COVID-19 Screening Tool to Help Protect Students and Staff

News Release

September 16, 2020

New Tool Part of the Government’s Plan for the Safe Reopening of Schools

TORONTO

The Ontario government launched a new voluntary interactive screening tool to assist parents, students and staff with the daily assessment of COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors that is required before attending school. The results will let parents, students, and education staff know whether they should attend school each day or guide at-risk individuals to proper resources. This tool is another layer of prevention that the province is using to protect the health and safety of students, staff, and the communities where they live and work.Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Peter Bethlenfalvy, President of the Treasury Board.”We are doing everything we can to keep students and staff safe, and that includes this new screening tool which will help people protect themselves and others from COVID-19,” said Premier Ford. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to screen themselves or their child for symptoms before going to school. If you’re sick or someone in your household is sick, even with mild symptoms, please stay home.”The new easy-to-use tool is voluntary and available for all parents, students and staff to use to help screen for symptoms of illness every day. Users will simply respond to clinician-informed symptom and risk questions, and the tool will then immediately inform users whether it is safe to attend school that day. The tool protects privacy and does not collect any personal health information. The tool was also developed in house by the Ontario Digital Service at no additional cost to taxpayers.”Our government is taking every preventive action to safely reopen our schools, including the introduction of Ontario’s new COVID-19 screening tool for students and staff,” said Minister Lecce. “We have made tremendous progress as a province, which is why we must continue to heighten our vigilance by stepping up screening of each student and staff member before they enter our schools.” Earlier this summer, Ontario unveiled the nation’s most comprehensive plan for the safe reopening of schools in September. The plan is supported by $1.3 billion in critical supports to hire more teachers and increase physical distancing, purchase personal protective equipment (PPE), enhance cleaning of schools and school buses, improve ventilation, hire more custodians, and add more school leadership positions and administrative support for virtual schools. The province has also established a mandatory masking policy for grades 4-12, and a robust surveillance and testing strategy to ensure a successful return to classrooms.In addition, local public health units have filled over 530 nursing positions, or 85 per cent, of the additional 625 nursing positions created to help keep students and staff safe. The nurses will be providing rapid-response support to schools and school boards in facilitating public health and preventative measures, including screening, testing, tracing and mitigation strategies. In order to ensure that schools are supported from the start of the school year, several public health units have temporarily redeployed existing nurses while recruitment activities continue.As part of Ontario’s commitment for transparency, and in partnership with the Ministry of Heath and the Ontario Digital Service, the Ministry of Education has also launched a webpage to report COVID-19 cases in schools and child care centres. This page will be updated every weekday with the most up-to-date COVID-19 information available, including a summary of cases in schools and licensed child care centres and agencies. This important resource will help parents and guardians know whether a COVID-19 case has been confirmed at their children’s school, and where the numbers come from.”As students across the province return to school, it’s more important than ever that we provide families with the tools and information they need to stay safe and healthy,” said Minister Bethlenfalvy. “Throughout the pandemic, our government has worked swiftly to leverage technology and innovation that puts vital programs and services at your fingertips. This tool is another example of how we’re building a government that works for you.”The government also released the Operational Guidance: COVID-19 Management in Schools document. This guide was developed in consultation with public health experts, including Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, and aims to help schools identify and isolate COVID-19 cases, reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools, and prevent and minimize outbreaks.
 QUICK FACTS
Ontario has committed to making $1.3 billion in COVID-19 resources available to school boards in support of the COVID-19 outbreak, which includes $381 million in federal funding to support provincial back-to-school plans and $50 million in provincial funding for air quality and ventilation in schools. 
For September, the government has delivered over 37 million pieces of PPE to Ontario’s 72 school boards and 10 education authorities, including more than 19.5 million masks, 16 million gloves, 317,000 face shields, 320,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and 218,000 containers of disinfectant, among other critical supplies.
The Ontario government has named Dr. Dirk Huyer as Coordinator, Provincial Outbreak Response. In this role, he will lead the province’s efforts to prevent and minimize COVID-19 outbreaks in a number of sectors, including the education, child care, agriculture, and health care sectors.
The voluntary screening tool is one of several tools Ontarians should use to stop the spread of COVID-19. Other tools include Ontario’s self-assessment tool, which helps people check whether they have symptoms of COVID-19, and the COVID Alert app, which lets people know if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19—and alert others if they test positive.
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Getting Back to Child Care and Schools COVID-SMART

MEDIA RELEASE: Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit

September 11, 2020

Health Units have had many questions about COVID-19 from families with children attending child care centres, and families with children and youth in schools. 

We already know that COVID-19 is spread through droplets from a cough, sneeze or singing by someone who is infectious to someone who is close to them. This is a good time to remember that the droplets can land up to two metres away and can survive for a few hours on hard surfaces. Symptoms may look like a cold (sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever, headache) or other symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms can develop up to 14 days after being infected – usually two to five days.

Public health and school boards are asking parents to use an anonymous online screening tool (also available in printable version) each day to provide direction about what to do if a child is experiencing symptoms. This should become part of your family’s morning routine.  Teachers, school staff and any other individuals entering the school will also be asked to self-screen using the COVID-19 self-assessment tool, and follow its directions.

The Leeds Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has been working with the Schools Boards in our regions as well as the Eastern Ontario Health Unit to implement the Ministry of Education Guidelines for child care and school re-opening . The Guidelines are based on the key public health measures that have helped us “flatten the curve” and keep cases low in our communities.  We are promoting that people be COVID – SMART to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in all regions – see a link to what this acronym means here: https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/gatherings-social-circles/ 

Preventing and minimizing transmission is our priority. Our case and contact management team is ready 7 days a week to investigate new positive COVID-19 cases and trace who might have been exposed.  Public Health will be involved at every step and are ready to answer questions and offer guidance related to symptoms and testing.  

Public Health will contact all the families of children/youth, as well as teachers and others who might have had close contact (less than 2 metres) with an individual with COVID-19.  Close contacts are required to stay at home for 14 days, or as directed by public health, and will be informed about testing requirements. The school will also activate infection control procedures such as cleaning and disinfection of the classroom and any other affected areas of the school.  Parents of children/youth will be notified that someone has tested positive for COVID-19 in their child care centre or school. 

If there is an outbreak at the school (two or more cases linked from within the school), public health will determine, through investigation, whether class cancellations or school closure are necessary.  The status of cases and outbreaks will be posted on the websites of schools that have a website, school boards and their respective health units. The LGL area will be listed here: https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/local-cases-and-statistics/schools/

“Timely and transparent communication with families and the school community is important to us,” says Dr. Paula Stewart, Medical Officer of Health for Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. “Providing specific guidance to parents if there is a case in a child care centre or school can help respond to people’s concerns.”  

While the child care and school communities will be kept informed through information on the website, it’s important to remember that public health has an obligation to protect the privacy of any individuals who are suspected and confirmed to have COVID-19.

“We also are committed to respecting children’s privacy and ask that people be kind and resist the temptation to speculate about absences or share rumours about possible cases – especially on social media,” Stewart continues. “Kindness and compassion need to be shown at all times.”

For more information on COVID-19 and the re-opening of schools, please visit the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit’s website at https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/schools/ or call 1-866-236-0123.

To view your local school board’s return-to-school plan, visit their website:

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Provincial Government pauseS any further re-openings for 4 weeks

On Tuesday, the Provincial Government announced it paused any further re-openings in the province for four weeks as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Ontario’s Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, said the decision is not being made lightly.

The Premier is concerned as daily COVID-19 case counts continue to spike in the province with the majority of the cases in 3 major centres -Toronto, Brampton, and Ottawa.

The province recorded 375 cases on Monday and Tuesday. The 190 new infections logged on Monday and 185 recorded on Tuesday mark the highest number of new cases since July 24.  Tuesday also marked the 13th day in a row in which the number of new COVID-19 cases in Ontario has surpassed 100.

Premier Ford said Ontario isn’t at the point yet where it needs to revert to Stage 2 but he will continue to consult with Dr. Williams. 

It has been a long haul since March 15, however we are not at the end of this journey yet. We know how to keep ourselves and our community safe – physical distancing, wearing masks, and frequent hand washing. Let’s continue to pull together and keep Westport COVID-19 free.

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COVID-19 UPDATE FROM MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH – Dr Stewart

The Medical Officer of Health for Leeds, Grenville and Lanark sends out regular updates to the Mayors.  With her permission, I have reprinted this week’s as it contains important information that you may find useful.

  1. Current Situation – We have had a very low number of people living in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark  who have become infected with COVID-19 for June, July and August, none in the past 5 weeks.  This is a direct result of people, businesses and services  following the public health precautions that can prevent the transmission of  COVID-19. The municipalities have played a key role is supporting these measures. Thank you.

It is important not to be complacent. People are still being infected in Ottawa and other parts of Ontario and Canada where we may visit. Also  the virus may still be in our community, either, with individuals who are asymptomatic,  or individuals who have very mild symptoms and have decided not to go for testing.  We are strongly encouraging any one with one of the many possible COVID-19 symptoms) https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/protection/  to go for testing at one of the Assessment Centres in Brockville, Smiths Falls  or Almonte.

Preventing COVID-19 infection in the broader community is key to keeping schools safer.  It is very important for everyone to continue to be COVID SMART.

S – Self-isolate if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Consider getting tested.

M – Wear a mask/cloth face covering  when in enclosed public spaces, and when physical distancing is a challenge outdoors.

A – Avoid touching your face.

R – Remain 2 metres/6 feet apart from people you do not live with and people not in your social circle.

T – Take time for regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.

  1. Face Covering Mask Instruction – Operators and the community have responded very well to the Medical Officer of Health Instruction on Face Coverings/Mask Use in enclosed public spaces. Initially we had  many people call about the exemptions and whether they needed a doctors/or an exemption card. The answer was no, and our impression is that people who have a medical reason to not wear a face covering/mask are visiting stores at non-peak times or using curb pick up or delivery to protect others.  Later on we received complaints from people that a business wasn’t complying with the Instruction. Each one was contacted and the Instruction clarified.  The community is now familiar with the required face covering/mask Instruction, and this will help as students have to wear face covering/masks in school from grade 4 and  up (also recommend for younger students.)
  2. Community Paramedic Mobile Testing – The work on the Paramedic Mobile Community  Testing Program is progressing well. The Lanark proposal was submitted to East Region Ontario Health for funding last week, and the Leeds-Grenville one will be submitted this week.  Our proposals fit with the Ontario  Health plan for the fall and winter to have both mobile community testing and Assessment Centres, that can assess people with any respiratory illness including influenza, parainfluenza, and RSV – all serious infections that occur each fall and winter. If funded, the mobile testing program will be able to quickly respond to the testing needed in response to an individual with COVID-19 in a school setting.
  3. Influenza Immunization– We are working with our partners on influenza immunization plans for  the fall. The vaccine usually arrives in October.  Influenza vaccine provides good protection against infection, particularly important for anyone with a chronic illness.
  4. School Opening – As the new school year approaches, parents will need to balance various options and make a decision about schooling that makes sense for each family. The Health Unit has collaborated with the Eastern Health Unit (we share Boards of Education) to send a letter to all parents to help them make this decision. I would appreciate if you can share the link to this letter with the parents and others  in your municipalities   https://healthunit.org/wp-content/uploads/Letter_to_Parents_COVID_Schools.pdf

The letter includes a link to the recent European review that suggests the risk of transmission of the virus is low in school settings that have precautions in place. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/children-and-school-settings-covid-19-transmission.  The report also has  a link to the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto that outlines the lower risk of serious COVID-19 infection among children, and their recommendations for safer opening of schools that the province referenced in their release of the Ministry of Education Guidelines for Schools   https://www.sickkids.ca/PDFs/About-SickKids/81407-COVID19-Recommendations-for-School-Reopening-SickKids.pdf

  1. Stage 3 Openings – Work continues with our many services and businesses to adapt to the provincial Stage 3 Guidelines. We respond to about 50 calls each day for assistance. Our municipalities have been great partners as we navigate these new waters together.

 

Paula Stewart MD, FRCPC, Medical Officer of Health

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit

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Congratulations everyone!

MPP Steve Clark has recognized that we have the know how and perseverance to keep ourselves and the Village COVID free.  As the evidence of moving into Phase 3 is clearly visible in the Village, please remain vigilant and remember to practice the public safety rules that we all know so well: frequent hand washing/sanitizing, physical distancing of 6 ft, wear a mask when you can’t physically distance or inside any public place, stay home if you are feeling ill.

Thank you for taking the time to send this scroll of appreciation to the Village MPP Clark.

appreciation from MPP