Sick Children

September 15, 2020

Dear Parents/Families:

I understand that some confusion exists with respect to sick children attending school.  The purpose of this e-mail is to bring clarity to the situation.

It is recommended that you complete the screening questionnaire each day before sending your children to school; you can access it by clicking here

For your convenience, I have copied and pasted the questions below:

Risk Assessment: Initial Screening Questions

1.  Do you (staff or student) have 2 or more of the following possible COVID-19 symptoms (new or worsening):

• Fever (or signs of fever, including chills, sweats, muscle aches, lightheadedness)

• Cough
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Runny Nose / Nasal Congestion
• Nausea / Vomiting / Diarrhea / unexplained loss of appetite
• Loss of sense of taste or smell

• OR red or purple spots on hands and/or feet?

2.  Have you (staff or student) traveled in the last 14 days outside the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador) or outside the communities along the Labrador-Quebec border (Labrador City, Wabush, Fermont, the Labrador Straits area and Blanc Sablon)?

3.  Have you (staff or student) been in close contact with anyone who has travelled outside the Atlantic provinces in the past 14 days who has developed COVID-19 symptoms?

4.  Have you (staff or student) been in close contact with a known or suspected case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days?

If the answer is “Yes” to any of the above questions, please DO NOT enter the school at this time. The staff member or student should stay home and use the COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool.

If the answers are “No” to all of the above questions, the staff member or student may attend school. 

  • Those who have symptoms of COVID-19, test negative, and have no known exposure criteria (travel outside the Atlantic Provinces or Labrador-Quebec border communities or close contact of a confirmed case or from an area with an active outbreak), must stay home for 24 hours after their symptoms resolve.

To summarize:  

  • Complete the self-assessment daily;
  • If you answer “yes” to any of the self-assessment questions, do the online Covid-19 self-assessment tool and follow the direction it provides based on your answers;
  • If you have symptoms and a negative test, stay home for 24 hours AFTER the syptoms have resolved (i.e., don’t come to school until symptom free for a 24 hour period).

NOTE: If someone in your house is self-isolating and DOES NOT have COVID-19 symptoms you CAN attend school.

If someone in your house is self-isolating and DOES have COVID-19 symptoms, call 811 and follow the advice from the public health official.

I hope this clarifies the important questions that are circulating around what to do when your children are sick.  If you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to send me an e-mail.  We’re here and we’re happy to help.

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