COVID-19 Guidance for Schools & Childcare Facilities

The purpose of this webpage is to provide general information regarding COVID-19 as it pertains to schools and childcare facilities. It is intended to assist parents, educators and other interested persons.

NOTE:

Parents, please do not send your child(ren) to school if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
Employers are encouraged to be understanding of employees who are required to quarantine due to COVID-19 outbreaks affecting their child(ren).

Purpose of Letters re Schools & Childcare Facilities Affected by COVID

Note: If you (or your child) have not been given any of the below letters then they do not apply to you.

Risk Assessment Letter: Confirms there is a positive COVID-19 case associated with a school/childcare facility. An investigation into how the school/childcare facility has been affected by the positive case is being conducted. After receiving this letter please standby for further instruction.

Public Health Instruction Letter: Identifies who in the school/childcare facility has been affected by the confirmed COVID-19 case. All those affected are instructed to quarantine and test. Quarantine and testing requirements are given in accordance with public health guidelines.

Update Letter: Alerts of any changes to the Public Health Instruction letter. Changes will occur if results of school/childcare facility testing show lesser or greater risk of COVID-19 spread within a school/childcare facility. Lesser risk of spread is determined when all individuals instructed to test have tested, and received negative results. A school/childcare facility may be considered to be at greater risk of spread for various reasons, for example due to additional positive cases or people with symptoms.

Release Letter: This letter is given after all testing results from an affected school/childcare facility have been received. It advises that the assessment of the risk to the school has been completed following COVID-19 testing. Furthermore, all students, families, and staff previously advised to quarantine may be released after completing quarantine and receiving negative test results.