Public Health is notified of every case of COVID-19 in our region as soon as a test is complete. The Public Health teams then complete an investigation, typically within 24 hours, to identify all individuals the case was in contact with and all locations of potential exposures during their infectious period. If a case (staff or student) identifies attendance in a school during their infectious period, Public Health investigates and coordinates with the school to ensure that all contacts are notified and provided with appropriate instructions.

No. The current school COVID-19 safety plans decrease the amount of exposure and transmission risk in schools and have been helpful in preventing exposures. Often, the amount of time a student or staff member diagnosed with COVID-19 may have spent in school is limited because they have already been self-isolating due to identified contact with a positive friend or family member, and did not attend school while infectious.

No. Exposures occur when a case of COVID-19 was present in school during their infectious period. In the vast majority of cases, there is no transmission in the school setting. However, notifications are distributed out of an abundance of caution. The majority of COVID-19 transmission is within households. 

If a case attended school while they were infectious and there was risk of transmission within the school:

1. Public Health investigates to identify contacts within the school.

2. Public Health directly contacts anyone who was a close contact of the case, and asks them to self-isolate.  This may apply to an individual or an entire class or cohort.

3. Lower-risk contacts may be asked to self-monitor. This may apply to an individual, or to an entire class or cohort. 

4. Public Health closely monitors the class, division, cohort and school.

5. Updates to recommendations are directly communicated with those who are affected. 
   

When Public Health receives notification of a positive test result, Public Health immediately begins contact tracing. Investigations are typically complete within 24 hours. However, because the person with COVID-19 is usually already self-isolating and not attending school, the last exposure may be several days ago. 

Self-isolation is recommended for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts. Self-isolation means staying home and avoiding situations where you could come into contact with others, even if you don’t have symptoms. This is to prevent transmission of COVID-19. Those who need to self-isolate are contacted directly by Public Health. If you have not been contacted, you do not need to self-isolate. More information about self-isolation can be found on the self-isolation page on BCCDC.

Self-monitoring means monitoring yourself daily for symptoms of COVID-19. Those who need to self-monitor due to a known school exposure to COVID-19 are contacted directly by Public Health. However, COVID-19 is circulating in our communities. Everyone should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 every day. Those who are sick should stay home. 

If possible, the rest of the family should minimize contact with the person who is self-isolating. Those who need to self-isolate are contacted directly by Public Health. If the affected child’s family has not been contacted and asked to self-isolate, they can continue with their usual activities. 

You should seek assessment and testing, and self-isolate while you wait for your test results.

Public Health prioritizes contacting individuals who have been exposed to a case of COVID-19. If an exposure has been identified in any school within the VCH region, a notification is posted publicly on school exposures page on VCH.ca.

In order to maintain privacy and confidentiality, Public Health does not disclose any names or identifying information about cases or contacts within the school community.

Public Health conducts an investigation and risk assessment for every case of COVID-19 and every school exposure. Recommendations are specific to each particular exposure. Close contacts are asked to self-isolate. Lower risk contacts may be asked to self-monitor.

COVID-19 is circulating in our communities, and approximately 120,000 students and school staff members live in our region. Where there is COVID-19 in a community, we can expect cases of COVID-19 among students and staff. However, there are extensive measures in place to prevent exposures and transmission within schools. These include COVID-19 safety plans, and daily health checks for staff and students.

Matthew McNair Secondary School, Richmond School District

Address: 9500 No. 4 Road, Richmond, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6 – 9

A.R. MacNeill Secondary School, Richmond School District

Address: 6611 No. 4 Road, Richmond, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 12

École Secondaire R.A. McMath Secondary School, Richmond School District

Address: 4251 Garry Street, Richmond, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6 – 9 and April 12 – 13

Hamilton Elementary School, Richmond School District

Address: 5180 Smith Drive, Richmond, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6 – 8

J.N. Burnett Secondary School, Richmond School District

Address: 5011 Granville Avenue, Richmond, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6

McNeely Elementary School, Richmond School District

Address: 12440 Woodhead Road, Richmond, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6 

Tomekichi Homma Elementary, Richmond School District

Address: 5100 Brunswick Drive, Richmond B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6 - 7

General Brock Elementary, Vancouver School District

Address: 4650 Main Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 12 – 13

Charles Dickens Elementary, Vancouver School District

Address: 1010 East 17 Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 12

Sir Wilfred Laurier Elementary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 7350 Laurel Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 12

David Lloyd George Elementary, Vancouver School District

Address: 8370 Cartier Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6

Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 7055 Heather Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): Mar. 31, April 1 and April 6 – 9

Britannia Community Elementary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 1110 Cotton Drive, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 13

Sir Sandford Fleming Elementary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 6363 Lanark Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6 – 9

Grandview ¿UUQINAK’UUH Elementary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 2055 Woodland Drive, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 7 – 9 and April 12

Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 419 East 24th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): Mar. 29 – 31, April 1 and April 7 – 9

Templeton Secondary, Vancouver School District

Address: 727 Templeton Drive, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 8 – 9

Spectrum School (Vancouver Alternative Secondary School), Vancouver School District

Address: 2530 East 43rd Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 7 – 9

Britannia Secondary School, Vancouver School District 

Address: 1001 Cotton Drive, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): Mar. 30 – April 2, April 5 – 6 and April 8

Sir Richard McBride Elementary, Vancouver School District

Address: 1300 East 29th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 7

General Gordon Elementary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 2268 Bayswater Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6

University Hill Secondary School, Vancouver School District 

Address: 3228 Ross Drive, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): Mar. 29 – 31 and April 6

Kitsilano Secondary School, Vancouver School District 

Address: 2706 Trafalgar Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): Mar. 29 – 31, April 1 and April 6

Elsie Roy Elementary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 150 Drake Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 6 – 7

Waverley Elementary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 6111 Elliott Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 1 and April 6 – 8

Magee Secondary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 6360 Maple Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): Mar. 29 – 31, April 1 and April 6 – 8

Gladstone Secondary School, Vancouver School District

Address: 4105 Gladstone Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): Mar. 29 – 31, April 1 and April 7 – 8

No reported exposures at this time.

No reported exposures at this time.

École La Passerelle, Whistler

Address: 1509 Spring Creek Drive, Whistler, B.C.

Potential exposure date(s): April 8