December has brought COVID-19 into Coquitlam-area schools even as B.C. provincial health orders have been extended to Jan. 8 to slow the spread of the potentially deadline virus.
Currently, 12 School District 43 schools and a private school are on a public COVID-19 exposure website, with many of the exposures taking place last week.
Fraser Health lists COVID-19 exposures at Tri-City schools:
• Harbour View elementary, Dec. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11;
• three more dates for Miller Park, adding Dec. 9, 10 and 11;
• and Irvine elementary was flagged for exposures on Dec. 7, 8 and 9.
Other schools added this week to the health authority’s list of active exposures include Centennial secondary and Banting, Miller Park and Panorama elementary schools as well as Eagle Mountain middle in Anmore.
In addition, two Port Coquitlam high schools were flagged for multiple COVID-19 exposures.
Fraser Health listed coronavirus exposures at Terry Fox secondary on Dec. 8, 9, 10 and 11, and at the B.C. Christian Academy Dec. 8, 9 and 10.
The last day of school before winter break is tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 18.
December is typically a time for Christmas concerts and special activities but this year much of that activity has ceased.
However, in three Coquitlam schools, parents are recognizing teachers, custodians, support workers and administrators for their service. Pots of poinsettias are being delivered to Rochester elementary and Maillard middle school today as well as Dr. Charles Best secondary tomorrow for staff to take home.
“We are recognizing that they are front line educational heroes,” Will Davis, Parent Advisory Council chair, told the Tri-City News.
Although gatherings aren’t allowed, parents will be encouraged to “honk” their support for these essential services workers when they pick up their children.
According to the health authority, a school “exposure” usually indicates a single person with a lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection attended school during their infectious period.
A school “cluster,” on the other hand, indicates possible school-based transmission with two or more lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 attending school while infectious, and an “outbreak” indicates “multiple individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection” and that “transmission is likely widespread.”
There have been no clusters or outbreaks in School District 43 since school resumed in September.
