Supporting schools during COVID-19

We are living in challenging times.  I know many families are stressed by having to make decisions about school without all the information they would like.  I am also sure that many parents, children, youth and teachers are excited about getting back to learning together.

The start to school will be different this year because many people are working hard to keep the COVID-19 virus out of schools.  I know the more you are doing your part to avoid picking up the virus in the community will help schools a lot.

For my family, we made the decision to send our children back to school after considering  the relatively low levels of the virus in the community, the health status of our boys and their close contacts, and how available my partner and I would be if they were to stay at home. We decided as a family, that sending our children back to school was the best decision for us, for our family.  Each family is different and Ottawa Public Health is here to support all families.

At OPH, we have been receiving many questions from parents and students and I would like to address some of them here in this video.

Questions such as: Should my child be tested before going to school? What will happen if there is someone in the school who tests positive for COVID-19? What will it mean for my child and for my family? Will my child have to be tested? What are some tips to help navigate the return to school? Where can I get more information?

These are very important concerns, so let me try to answer your questions one at a time  

Question: First of all, do students, teachers and staff need to be tested before returning to school?

Answer: Students, teachers and school staff do not need to be tested before returning to school.  The only reason to have your child – or yourself – tested is if they are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if advised by a health official to seek testing. A full list of symptoms can be found on our Supporting Schools and COVID-19 web page. This webpage will be regularly updated and can be found on our website: ottawapublichealth.ca/SchoolsCOVID19 . 

I have heard from residents that a negative test result makes them feel like they are free of the virus, but it is important to remember that test result is only good for the moment it is taken, and for this reason it can provide a false sense security. The tests work best when someone has symptoms, and there are not many reasons why someone with no symptoms should be tested, unless advised by public health or your health care provider.

Question: What happens if a student or staff tests positive for COVID-19 ?

Answer: There are two possible outcomes for this situation:

Scenario 1: 

First of all, no one will be blamed for testing positive for COVID-19 and for most people, the illness will be mild.  Many people cannot identify where they came into contact with the virus because people do not always seem sick when they may be infectious to others. If someone in a school setting tests positive for COVID-19 and your child IS a close contact, an Ottawa Public Health nurse will contact you directly with information on if, how and when to get tested for COVID-19 as well as further actions you’ll need to take.

Scenario 2: 

If someone in a school setting tests positive for COVID-19 and your child is NOT considered a close contact, you do not need to have your child tested or keep them home.

I often get asked what is a close  contact. Well, each situation can be a little different, but a close contact is typically someone who had a prolonged exposure in close proximity to a person diagnosed with COVID-19. Passing someone in the hallway or on the street would not be considered a close contact, but spending hours or days together in your home, workplace or school setting may be considered a close contact.  Again, a public health nurse will be in touch with you, if this is the case.

Question: What steps do I need to take if my child becomes ill with symptoms of COVID-19?

Answer: You must keep your child home from school and notify the school that your child is ill with symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19. You will be contacted by a Public Health Nurse who will provide you with directions regarding testing and next steps.

Question: What steps do I need to take if my child tests positive for COVID-19?

Answer:  I can understand that this may be a difficult time for you and your family. One of our public health nurses will provide guidance to you if your child tests positive.  In this case, your child must self-isolate at home until:

• they have completed at least 14 days of isolation from when their symptoms began OR when they received a positive test result (if they never had symptoms of COVID-19),
• and they have not had a fever for 72 hours,
• and their symptoms have been improving for at least 72 hours.  

This could result in the self-isolation period being longer than 14 days.  It is important to note that if your child is diagnosed with COVID-19, all their household contacts will also require close follow-up by OPH and further guidance will be provided to them as well.

Question: What happens when there are people in the school that test positive COVID?

Answer: Once someone in a school is confirmed with COVID, whether that is a staff or student, Ottawa Public Health would reach out to parents of close contacts to let them know and help them with the next steps which include staying home, monitoring for symptoms and presenting for testing when it’s appropriate. Ottawa Public Health would continue to investigate to determine any other close contacts and monitor the situation to determine if there is an outbreak situation, whether it affects single classrooms, a section of the school or the entire school and when an outbreak can be declared over.

As the start of school approaches, we encourage you to have a few conversations in your family, with your child or youth, to talk about the following dos and don’ts to help them and their friends stay healthy:

Do:

• Stay at home when you are sick, even when symptoms are mild. Staying home helps prevent spreading your illness to friends and teachers.
• Tell someone right away if you don’t feel well.
• Practice ‘no touch’ greetings with your friends and teachers at school. Let’s share a wave and not our germs.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper arm, not your hands! Throw the tissue away in the garbage can and wash your hands right away.
• Bring your own water bottle from home to stay hydrated throughout the day. And don’t share it with friends.
• Keep one to two meters (three to six feet) apart to keep you and the friends around you healthy.
• Wear a mask if you’re able (required in school for grades 4 and up)
• Reach out for help if you need it. It’s ok NOT to be ok. Talk to your school guidance counsellor or Check out our website for some of our mental wellness supports.
• Make sure your immunizations are all up to date.

Don’t: 

• Don’t Share personal belongings and food with students and staff.
• Don’t Share your mask.
• Don’t Touch your face. We can easily spread germs from our hands to our mask or face.

I encourage you to visit our new webpage for parents who have children going back to school. You can find it at:  ottawapublichealth.ca/SchoolsCOVID19. 

This webpage includes:

• school reopening plans
• health promotion and disease prevention measures
• mental wellness supports
• partner resources
• and much more including a very helpful decision-making screening tool.

Ottawa Public Health has developed a simple-to-use screening tool to help parents decide whether their children should be going to school. This tool is available on our Supporting Schools & COVID website.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) will continue the conversations, monitor what’s happening in schools, re-evaluate and share new information as it becomes available. We are in this together. Thank you, Merci

Here are some things to keep in mind if your child is returning to classroom learning:

At Home:

• Wash hands before and after preparing and handling food.
• Wash and disinfect surfaces before and after preparing and packing food.
• Use an insulated bag with a freezer pack or thermos to keep food cool. Chill milk or freeze drinking water to help keep food cool.
• Pack food choices that are ready to eat and do not need to be reheated.
• Check with your school if you should avoid packing peanut butter or foods containing peanuts in your child's lunch.
• Use a wide mouth thermos to keep hot food hot. Pre-heat thermos with hot water before filling.
• Wash all vegetables and fruit under cool, running water before use.
• Pack food that your child can eat without the help from others.
• If using a reusable lunch bag or container, make sure to wash them daily with hot, soapy water.
• Label containers, bottles, lunch bags and reusable utensils with your child’s name.
• Do not reuse plastic bags – they can hold bacteria.

At School:

• There will be no access to appliances like microwaves, toasters or kettles at school.
• New practices will be put in place regarding access to water fountains. Students should bring a full reusable water bottle labelled with their name that can be refilled throughout the day.
• Some schools may not have cafeteria food services or lunch programs (pizza, sub day, etc.) at this time.
• There may be new policies or protocols in place about leaving school during lunch or recess to purchase food.
• Students may have to pack and bring home all garbage and waste.

Help your child understand they will need to:

• Wash their hands before and after eating.
• Remain at their own desk while eating.
• Safely remove their mask and store it in a clean bag until ready to reuse.
• Avoid placing food directly on their desk. Instead use an open lunch bag or place food on a clean surface such as a paper towel/cloth napkin.
• Keep food, drinks, straws, containers or utensils to themselves (no sharing).

Healthy Eating Tips:

• Use the Eat Well Plate to help build meals that follow Canada’s Food Guide.
• Choose whole grains, vegetables and fruit and protein foods.
• Include vegetables or fruit for every meal and snack.
• Plan and prepare snacks and meals ahead of time to help limit use of processed foods that are high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat.
• Choose water as the drink of choice.
• Involve your kids with choosing and preparing food.

Helpful links:

• Healthy Eating for Children and Youth
• Recipes, cooking videos, factsheets and other resources from Ottawa Public Health
• Healthy Eating at School
• School lunch ideas
• Recipes for the Government of Canada