COVID-19 Resources for Schools and Child Care Centres

1. Can my child go to school?

Use the COVID-19 School Screening tool to help you determine if and when your child can go to school. 

Review the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

If a household member has symptoms of COVID-19:

Everyone else in the household needs to stay home from work, school, child care, and other activities that happen outside the home, until COVID-19 can be ruled out for the person who is symptomatic.

• If the test result is negative, everyone in the home who is feeling well may return to their normal activities and monitor themselves for symptoms. The household member who is symptomatic must remain in self-isolation until their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours.
• If the test result is positive, all household members will need to remain home. You will be contacted by Southwestern Public Health staff and provided with further direction.

If it is decided that the person who is symptomatic will not get tested for COVID-19, all household members need to stay home and not leave their home for 14 days. This action protects others in the event symptoms are due to COVID-19.

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Sore throat, trouble swallowing
• Pink eyes
• Runny/stuffy nose
• Loss of taste or smell
• Not feeling well, tired or sore muscles
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Unusual headache

3. What does a positive case mean?

This means that a person has had a COVID-19 test that was positive, which means the virus was detected in the sample. They are referred to as a “Case”. In the school setting, a Case can include students, teachers, and other staff within a school community.

If you are notified about a Case of COVID-19 at your school, it does not mean the person got the virus at school. They could have been exposed to it anywhere. It does not mean they were not being careful. Unfortunately, people can spread the virus to another person before they even know they are sick.  It is important to follow public health recommendations to reduce your risk of infection but unfortunately, it is not a guarantee that you will not get COVID-19.  

4. Will I know who tested positive?

The identity of the individual who tested positive will be kept protected as per privacy legislation.  You will be notified about a case in the school community and informed if extra precautions are necessary.

5. What does public health do when there is a Case of COVID-19 at my school?

Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) is notified of all positive cases within our region and provides follow up to each case.  This includes providing information, monitoring symptoms, and investigating possible risk to others that may have occurred while the Case was infectious.  Risk of possible transmission of the virus to students and staff is assessed for each case and communication is sent out to inform the school community.

6. What does it mean when someone is a Contact, or has an exposure to COVID-19? 

Contacts are people who have had an exposure to (i.e., spent time with) a person with COVID-19 while they were infectious. If someone has had a contact or exposure, it does not mean they will become ill. The amount of contact will determine their level of risk of infection. The circumstances of the exposure will be assessed by SWPH and is based on many factors including:

• Amount of time spent together.
• How close the contact and case were to one another.
• Use of masks and other protective equipment like goggles or barriers.
• Ventilation, for example if contact was indoors or outdoors.

Exposures at school can occur in the classroom, playground, bus, childcare programs, staff rooms … anytime people are together. The length of time together, the proximity to one another and use of masks are examples of contributing factors to exposure risk.

7. What is a close or high-risk contact?

Close or high-risk contacts are at a higher risk of being infected with COVID-19 due to the nature of their exposure to someone who has the virus.  SWPH will work with your school to ensure close contacts are notified. A letter will be sent to each close contact.  It will provide important information about next steps including self-isolation, testing and monitoring for symptoms.  Close contacts cannot go to work or school. If you receive this letter, please follow the directions provided in the letter.

8. What is a low-risk contact?

A low-risk contact is someone who had minimal contact with someone with COVID-19.  A low risk contact can continue to go to school if they pass the online school screen. Continue to monitor for symptoms daily and get tested if symptoms develop.

Low risk contacts will be given a 14-day period to be extra careful about monitoring for symptoms.  It can take this long for the coronavirus to begin to show signs of infection.

9. What does self-monitoring mean?

Self-monitoring means paying attention to your health every day and watching for signs of illness.  If new symptoms develop, it is important to remain home and make arrangements for testing at a COVID testing centre.

10. What does self-isolation mean?

If your child has been identified as a close contact, they are required to self-isolate.  This means they must stay home and cannot go to school or leave your home. If possible, your child should isolate from other people in your home.  They should:

• Have their own bedroom and bathroom
• Avoid common areas such as the kitchen and living room
• Keep 2 metres away from others in the house and wear a mask if in the same room.
• Ensure good air flow by opening a window if possible when in a shared space. 

More information about self-isolation can be found here.  

11. My child has been identified as a ‘close contact’ but cannot isolate from our family. What do we do?

In some situations, it may not be practical for your child to isolate from the rest of the family. Your child may be too young, frightened or require care. It may not be possible due to the layout or space in your home. If this is the case in your family, do the best you can. Here are some tips to consider:

• Designate one person to be the primary caregiver for your child*;
• Try to keep other family members 2 metres from your child;
• Wear a mask if they are in the same room;
• Ensure good air flow by opening a window if possible when in a shared space.
• Wash hands often with soap and water;
• Do not share personal items like hand towels or dishes; and
• Wipe down frequently touched surfaces like door handles, taps, counters, phones and electronics.

*Family member(s) in contact with the self-isolating child (i.e., designated primary caregiver) MUST also self-isolate. 

If your child does NOT have symptoms of COVID-19:

Household members who are not in contact with your child are only able to leave the home for essential reasons for the duration of your child’s isolation period.

Essential reasons to leave home include: Attending work/school/childcare or essential errands such as groceries, attending medical appointments or picking up prescriptions.

If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19:

Everyone in the household must self-isolate until test results for your child are known.

If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 but is not tested:

All household members need to self-isolate for 14 days from the start of your child’s symptoms.

Self-isolation means no visitors to the home, not attending work, school, childcare or leaving your property unless someone needs necessary medical care.

12. Why is self-isolation for a ‘close contact' 14 days?

Your child MUST self-isolate away from others in the home. If self-isolation away from others in the home is not possible, those in contact with the child (e.g. caregiver) MUST also self-isolate.

Self-isolation means no visitors to the home, not attending work, school, childcare or leaving your property unless someone needs necessary medical care.

If your child does NOT have symptoms of COVID-19:

Household members who are not in contact with your child are only able to leave the home for essential reasons for the duration of your child’s isolation period.

Essential reasons to leave home include: Attending work/school/childcare or essential errands such as groceries, attending medical appointments or picking up prescriptions.

If your child has or develops symptoms of COVID-19:

Everyone in the household must self-isolate until test results for your child are known.

If your child is not tested, all household members need to self-isolate for 14 days from the start of your child’s symptoms.

If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19/fails the COVID-19 school and child care screening, they should get tested. Please notify SWPH about this change in your child’s condition at 1-800-922-0096 Ext. 9.

If your child was identified as a close contact, they should be tested during the 14-day self-isolation period. 

• If your child does not have symptoms, they should get tested at least 7 days after they were exposed to the person with COVID-19.  The letter you receive from the school will provide a specific date.
• If the test result is negative, they must still remain in self-isolation for the 14-day period.
• If your child develops symptoms after this initial test, they will need to be re-tested.
• If your child has symptoms of COVID-19, test immediately.  Do not wait for the recommended testing date.  Call Southwestern Public Health to inform them about the change in your child’s condition at 1-800-922-0096, Ext. 9.   Everyone in your household will now need to remain home until test results are known.  If your child does not get tested, everyone will need to remain home for 14 days.
• Please give the testing centre the number that was provided in the letter sent by the school.

If anyone in your family develops symptoms of COVID-19, it is important to arrange for testing as soon as possible.  Everyone in your household needs to stay home until the test results are known.  If you choose not to get testing done, everyone in the household needs to stay home for 14 days from the onset of symptoms.

Please feel free to call our COVID Call Centre at 1-800-922-0096, Ext. 9, if you have questions. 

15. How do I arrange for testing?

Please contact one of the testing centres below to make an appointment and provide them with the investigation or outbreak number that was included in the letter you received from your school.

COVID-19 testing location information can be found here.  

16. My child has been tested. Now what?

17. What is ‘targeted asymptomatic testing’?

This is when individuals (e.g., students) without any COVID-19 symptoms, without any known exposure to anyone infected with COVID-19 and without being part of an outbreak investigation is tested for the virus because they fall within a select priority population (e.g., schools). On February 1, 2021, Ontario announced expanding targeted asymptomatic testing to schools and child care centre populations as an additional layer of protection.

18. How could  ‘targeted asymptomatic testing’ keep schools and child care centres safer?

These tests offer an added layer of protection and help keep schools and child care centres safe by:

• Identifying cases that might otherwise have gone undetected;
• Reducing transmission of COVID-19 from the community into schools and within schools; and,
• Reducing barriers and making it easier to get a test in your community.

19. What else should parents or guardians know about ‘targeted asymptomatic testing’?

School boards will undertake targeted asymptomatic testing in at least 5% of the elementary and secondary schools within their jurisdiction each week (starting February 22, 2021).  School locations will be selected by school boards with support from the Ministry of Education and local Public Health Units. 

If testing is offered at your child’s school, it will be voluntary and consent will be required from parents or guardians for students under 18 years. Testing will use a combination of rapid antigen and PCR testing and will look to use less invasive methods of testing wherever possible (e.g., saliva and lower nasal swabs).  Testing will be for asymptomatic students and staff only (i.e., those without any symptoms of COVID-19).  Household members of students and staff, and anyone with symptoms, should seek testing at an assessment centre. 

School boards will communicate with families about the availability of testing.

An outbreak is declared in a school when there are two lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 that can be linked to one another.  This means that at least one of the infections was acquired in the school and cannot be traced back to another source outside of school.  An outbreak can be isolated to one classroom or it could involve multiple classrooms.

Southwestern Public Health will inform you if an outbreak is declared at your school and will provide further information and direction. 

Area schools have worked closely with Southwestern Public Health to ensure the safety of their school community.  During an outbreak, other strategies will be explored to further reduce the spread of infection and may include:

• Outbreak signage on the school doors
• Restriction of visitors to the school
• Limiting student and staff interactions to their classroom cohorts
• Restricting all staff at the school from working at other schools
• Discontinuing extra-curricular activities as much as possible

The school will remain open unless there is evidence of potential wide-spread transmission within the school.

1. The Health Unit is notified of all positive COVID-19 cases in the City of St. Thomas, Elgin and Oxford counties. Upon being notified, Health Unit staff follow up with the person who has been diagnosed and determine who their close contacts are.
2. The close contacts are then notified by letter or by telephone call.
3. If the positive COVID-19 case is a member of a school community (i.e. student or staff), the Health Unit sends a letter to all members of that school’s community through their school board’s communication channel (e.g. School Messenger).

• Do not send them to school, keep them at home.
• Isolate your child away from others in the household.  Learn how to self-isolate at home when you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and have no symptoms. 
• Every other member of the household must quarantine (i.e. not attend work, school, or childcare).

• They will receive a letter or a telephone call from the Health Unit notifying them.

• They will receive a letter notifying them of the case in the school community and advising them that their risk is assessed as low.
• They do not need to quarantine, get tested, or contact the Health Unit.
• They should continue to monitor for symptoms and if symptoms develop, self-isolate and get tested.

Washing hands or using hand sanitizer frequently is a key public health practice for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Help your child learn and practice how to wash their hands (PDF) or use hand sanitizer properly. Be a good role model - demonstrate this routine yourself and remind your child to wash their hands when needed.

Watch a video together with your child to help them learn:

• Hand-washing Heroes Video (for younger children)
• Wash your hands, Brother John! (for younger children)
• Wash Those Mitts (for younger children)
• Reduce the Spread of COVID-19: Wash Your Hands (for older children)

It's important for everyone to practice good respiratory etiquette. Teach your child what to do and set a good example. Watch this great video: Reduce the Spread of COVID-19: Hygiene for Kids.

Respiratory etiquette:

• Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or elbow
• If available, sneeze into a tissue and promptly throw the tissue into the garbage
• Always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after coughing and sneezing

Make sure your child knows how to properly put a mask on, wear it, remove it, and store it as well as when to discard or replace it. Learn about how to properly wear, fit, remove and clean face coverings. 

Masks must be worn:

• In schools, including in hallways and during classes.
• In school transportation
• Outdoors during recess, where distance cannot be maintained.

How many masks to take to school:

Consider sending at least one spare mask/face covering to school with your child. Schools are required to have masks available for students, as well. While a non-medical mask/face covering can be worn for an entire day, it should be replaced as soon as it becomes wet or soiled.

How to store masks at school:

When not in use at school (e.g. while eating), your child should store their face mask in a space away from others. Consider sending your child to school with a storage container or paper bag where they can put their mask and easily take it out again by the ear loops, without touching the fabric of the mask.

If your child is using reusable face masks, send them with a spare, sealable container or bag for storing their wet or soiled face masks until they get home. Make sure to put used masks/face coverings into the laundry when your child gets home and wash them and their containers before using again.

Remember to label your child’s face masks with their name, and if age appropriate, also label the top/bottom and front/back to help with putting them on correctly.

Physical distance as much as possible. Talk to your child about what it means to keep physical distance from others. Provide them with examples they’ll understand.

For example, what does two metres apart look like?

• A couch with three cushions
• The length of a bed
• A pool noodle
• An adult hockey stick

For younger school-aged children, help them to be independent so that they don’t have to rely on their teacher. For example:

• Make sure your child can open their own food containers, packages and drinks. Practice at home with lunches and snacks.
• Make sure your child can take off and put on their outerwear such as coats and boots.

The actions taken while getting to and from school are just as important for preventing the spread of COVID-19 as what is done while at school. 

Bussing:

If your child takes the bus to school, talk with them about the importance of:

• Staying 2 metres apart from everyone while waiting for the bus. If they can’t keep their distance, they must wear their mask while waiting.
• Putting on their mask before getting on the bus and keeping it on for the entire bus ride. They should not remove their mask, hang their mask out the bus window, trade masks with other students.
• Staying seated in their assigned seat.

Walking, biking, or other modes of active transportation:

If your child walks to school, or uses another mode of active transportation like biking, roller blades, etc., talk with them about the importance of:

• Staying 2 metres apart from others, except siblings living in the same house.
• Not travelling to school in a group or gathering closely with other students while waiting to go inside.
• Wearing a mask, even if outdoors, if keeping 2 metres apart from others is difficult.
• Not sharing items with other students, e.g. food, drinks, masks.

Dropping your child off at school:

If you drop your child off at school, remember to keep 2 metres apart from others and wear a face covering at the drop off and pick up zones.

Recess is an important part of every elementary school day; however, with COVID-19 it needs to look different than before in order to prevent the spread. Talk with your child about recess activities and the importance of staying within their cohort.

What is a cohort?

A cohort is a classroom of students and staff who stay together during the day (class, recess, lunch, etc.). “Cohorting” reduces the number of contacts students have with other students during the day.

Cold Weather Tips for Schools:

COVID-19: Cold Weather Tips for Schools gives information to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 in schools during cold weather (e.g., mask use outdoors).