Students in Ontario will be returning to school in some form in mid-September. Some students may be learning entirely online while others will be physically attending classes. If there is an outbreak at a school, or a student tests positive for COVID-19, the Ontario government has provided recommended actions.
The local public health unit (PHU) is responsible for determining if an outbreak exists, declaring an outbreak, and providing direction on outbreak control measures to be implemented. The PHU will also assist in determining which cohort(s) may be sent home or if a partial or full school closure is required based on the scope of the outbreak.
If there are two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff in a school with an epidemiological link, within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the school (including transportation and before or after school care).
The local public health unit will work with the school to determine epidemiological links (e.g., cases in the same class, cases that are part of the same before/after school care cohort, cases that have assigned bus seats in close proximity to each other). The PHU will determine which cohorts are high risk contacts requiring isolation.
The outbreak does not necessarily need to be over to re-open the school. Cohorts without evidence of transmission can be gradually brought back to school as additional information and test results become available.
An outbreak will be declared over by the PHU. This may be based on:
Any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 should not attend school until they are cleared by their local public health unit (PHU) or health care provider
Any individuals who test positive must remain in isolation for 14 days
The local PHU will notify the school of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis
Where the local PHU determines there was a transmission risk to others in the school, students and staff will be assessed to determine if they were at high risk of exposure (requiring isolation) or if they were at low risk of exposure (can self-monitor for symptoms and return to school)
While an individual suspected to have COVID-19 is waiting for test results they must be in isolation and cannot attend school in person. The individual can attend school virtually if they feel well enough to participate. Individuals who have had a COVID-19 test because of symptoms, but who test negative should not return to school until at least 24 hours after their symptoms have resolved.
Individuals who have traveled out of the country should isolate for 14 days.
For an ill individual who has a known alternative diagnosis provided by a health care provider, return to school can occur when symptoms are resolved for at least 24 hours.
(Source: Government of Ontario)