It has been 10 days since the first positive case was identified in our school.

It is early days, but please find below a quick summary of our findings to date.

• There have been 17 cases across our 31 classes in the last 10 days.  This is 17 cases out of 717 students, 2 % of our students. It is not great to see any child sick, however it is very pleasing to see it is not rampaging through the school at this stage. This finding is in line with what Gulf Harbour and Stanmore Bay Schools are experiencing.

• Most cases have originated from a household contact.

• To date, there has not been the rapid spread of the virus happening within classes.

• The main transmission happening seems to be adult to adult, and adult to child. Child to child transmission that has happened is minimal.  Once again a great sign for schools at this stage.

• The current measures of mask wearing, social distancing, ventilating rooms, learning outside and good hygienic practices seem to be providing high levels of protection for our children and staff.

To return, or not to return  

To isolate, or not to isolate  

To test, or not to test  

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS !

If someone tests positive they isolate for 10 days from onset of symptoms or if asymptomatic from date of test. They do not require a further test before self-releasing.

All household contacts linked to the positive case isolate for the same 10 day period as the case

Household contacts need to test on the positive cases’ Day 3 and Day 10

If a household contact has a negative day 3 test but then develops symptoms before 10 days, they should get a test when they develop symptoms, not wait until Day 10

Cases and household contacts can self-release after 10 days if asymptomatic

All household contacts continue their isolation period from the first case in the house. It doesn’t reset with subsequent cases and they are okay to be released once the first case finishes 10 days of isolation provided the contacts themselves are asymptomatic.

At any time that a household contact tests positive, at Day 3 for instance or Day 10, their 10 days start from the date their symptoms started or if they are asymptomatic 10 days from the date of their test. They re-set but no one else in the household needs to.

Returning from isolation as a household contact

We’ve had queries regarding instances where students have completed their required 10 days’ isolation but have had family members subsequently test positive.

Currently there is no legal requirement for family members to remain in isolation beyond the initial 10-day period.

To manage this risk, it is important that if the student develops symptoms they stay at home until they are symptom-free and have returned a negative test result. Alternatively, they could be managed as a case without any need for testing.

It’s important that anyone with symptoms remain at home until they are symptom-free for at least 48 hours.