Large number of staff affected by COVID-19 forces temporary closure of Cowichan Valley school
The Duncan Christian School is closed for two weeks due to a COVID-19 cluster, part of a wave of COVID-19 cases hitting Vancouver Island s Cowichan Valley.
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CBC News ·
Posted: Jan 18, 2021 12:23 PM PT | Last Updated: January 18
The Duncan Christian School is closing for two weeks to allow staff and students to self-isolate.(Google Street View)
VICTORIA Another high school on Vancouver Island is reporting a possible COVID-19 exposure. Island Health says the potential exposure took place at Royal Bay Secondary School on Jan. 15. According to the health authority, just one person in the school community has tested positive for the virus so far. “Island Health is completing contact tracing to identify any staff or students that need to self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms,” reads a letter sent to families on Jan. 18. Anyone who is contacted by public health staff will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Families that are not contacted by Island Health do not need to take any additional actions and may continue going to school.
Duncan Christian School will be closed until Feb. 1 after several people tested positive for COVID-19. Principal Peter Terpstra said he was busy on Monday transitioning the schools to at-home . . .
Head of school Mark Turner said Island Health has already anyone deemed to be a close contact of the infected person. “All other students and staff can be reassured that they are not required to self-isolate,” Turner said. “However, everyone should continue monitoring for symptoms, in keeping with our existing expectations.” There is no risk to anyone at the Richmond Road campus, where the middle and senior schools are located, he said. Island Health is responsible for contact tracing, Turner said. “As you would expect, we will be redoubling our efforts to sanitize, physically distance and be rigorous in the enforcement of our mask policies. It remains our priority to keep all students and staff as safe as possible.