Alberta’s top doctor says COVID-19 in schools shouldn’t be unexpected

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) — The COVID-19 cases that have been reported in staff and students at schools shouldn’t come as a surprise with numbers continuing to rise in Alberta.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of health, warned last week there was a possibility cases were going to be found in individuals at schools.

“In each case, [Alberta Health Services] worked quickly with school officials to identify contacts,” she said.

“This quick action is crucial to keeping schools safe in the days and weeks ahead.”

If a case is found in a student who attended a class, the others in the rooms are considered close contacts and will need to isolate for 14 days even they get tested and it comes back negative.

“We need to approach these situations cautiously. Anyone exposed to COVID-19 could become ill at any point in the next two weeks and a single negative test does not assure safety,” Hinshaw said.

AHS has reported 11 cases that were present at 11 different schools since Sept. 1, with none of those infections acquired at any of the campuses.

Hinshaw explained the few cases found does not mean they will change the school model right away but will monitor the situation closely as the school year progresses.

“We need to be nimble and continue adapting our approaches based on emerging evidence and the needs of schools and students,” she said.

Health officials are developing an additional online reporting tool to keep the pubic informed on school cases and outbreaks.

Hinshaw has also written an open letter to Alberta families which includes information on public health guidance for schools, clarifications on masks and physical distancing and suggestions for preparing children for in-school learning.

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