Toronto Public Health ups restrictions in school screening tool
Toronto Public Health has changed the directions in its COVID-19 school screening tool, which now says that if a student has one symptom of the virus, all students in their family must stay home.
In a news release issued Friday, health officials the changes were based on findings from case and outbreak investigations in Toronto schools.
"We know how important in-person school learning is for children and their development, and there are significant benefits to keeping schools open," said Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vinita Dubey, in a statement.
"This is why one of the main objectives that are part of ensuring the health and safety of our community is helping to make sure to the greatest extent as possible that our schools remain open for in-person learning as much as it is safely possible to do so.
"This new screening tool will provide staff, students and our overall community with additional layers of protection to help keep our schools open and our city safer as we as we continue living with COVID-19."
As part of the updated guidance, if a child has one or more new or worsening COVID-19 symptoms, parents must now:
Keep their child home.
Keep siblings and other children home, even if they do not have symptoms.
Arrange for the child to get tested or contact their healthcare provider.
Without testing, the child must stay at home for 10 days.
Monitor the family for symptoms. Adults must also stay home if they have one or more symptoms.
Public health officials say the changes made to the tool will help earlier identification for COVID-19 cases in schools, and add a layer of protection against virus spread.
