Case and contact tracing are no longer measures that will help to contain the virus. Instead, parents will be asked to notify their school if their child is absent due to illness – they do not need to disclose if their absence is due to COVID 19. Schools will use absenteeism data to detect when there may be increased COVID-19 activity in the school and connect with public health for additional assessment and support as necessary.
When a school meets an absenteeism threshold and engages their school medical health officer, schools will be sending home a letter to parents indicating public health engagement - and if further direction or measures from public health are required, families will be notified.
Families will also be reminded to keep their children home when sick and to do the daily health check prior to coming to school.