​​February 19, 2021​

Dear SD43 families and staff,

Effective immediately, Fraser Health is rolling out a streamlined notification process in the event of a COVID exposure event in a school community. The new process will consist of only one early notification letter and will follow up with a self-monitoring letter and/or self-isolation letter, as needed. Previously there were three notification letters and a school bulletin.

These changes are a direct result of feedback received from the community and Fraser Health has worked to streamline the notification process. The new process is designed to:

• Increase the Fraser Health response time in issuing the appropriate notifications,
• Decrease the number of emails sent to families and staff and
• Increase the accuracy of the notifications.
  

In short, the revised process will be as follows:

• When a case has been identified and includes an individual who was in a school during their infectious period, a notification letter will be distributed to the school community.
• If the case is linked to one or more classes, a self-monitoring letter will be issued to the affected classes.
• Additional self-monitoring or self-isolation letters will be issued in the course of contact tracing, as needed.
• Contact management will be completed within 48 hours.
• School exposures will continue to be posted on www.fraserhealth.ca/schoolexposures.
  

In the event of a COVID exposure event, families and staff will receive one or more letters, as described below:

• Notification letter: this is a general letter to the entire school community that serves as a notification that someone within the school community has tested positive for COVID-19. Receiving this letter does not mean they have been exposed or that there is an increased risk.
• Self-monitoring letter: This letter will be sent to classes or cohorts of the person who attended school while potentially infectious. The intent of the letter is to provide heightened awareness, beyond that of the daily health check, around monitoring for symptoms. The letter asks individuals to closely monitor for symptoms and advises them that unless they have, or develop, symptoms they can continue to come to school.
• Self-isolation letter: Individuals or groups who are identified through contact tracing as being at higher risk due to proximity to the case or the nature of the exposure, will receive a self-isolation letter. The letter advises those individuals to self-isolate, which means that they should remain isolated at home.
  

Thank you for your continued support and diligence in performing and encouraging daily health checks, physical distancing and hand hygiene.

Patricia Gartland
Superintendent/CEO

Superintendents letter to families-staff re streamlined COVID notifications 02-19-2021.pdf