Fraser Health has reported that a handful of Abbotsford schools have recorded COVID-19 exposures this month.
An “exposure event” is defined on the health authority’s website as “a single person with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period.”
Abbotsford Senior Secondary School has the most recent exposure on Oct. 14, while Rick Hansen Secondary School recorded exposures on Oct. 13, Oct. 6 and 7.
The lone middle school with an exposure so far this month was Eugene Reimer Middle School on Oct. 5.
Elementary schools recording exposures included: Blue Jay Elementary (Oct. 7 to 9) and Dr. Roberta Bondar Elementary (Oct. 8 and 9).
The COVID-19 school notification process consists of the following protocol:
- 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.
- Only Public Health can determine who is a close contact. Learning groups, friends or other connections may not be determined to be a close contact.
- Public Health staff works closely with the school and school district throughout the case and contact management process to maintain close communication with the school community
A notification does not mean your child has been exposed to COVID-19.
If you do not receive a phone call or letter from Public Health, your child should continue to attend school.
It should be noted that “exposure events” are the most contained of such classifications, followed by “cluster events” (two or more individuals are infected), and “outbreak events” (infection and transmission are widespread).
RELATED: Two Abbotsford elementary schools record COVID-19 exposures, according to Fraser Health