The provincial government has made amendments to the public health orders concerning students and when they must self-isolate. The changes were made Thursday. 

Students who are a close contact of a person with COVID-19 due to exposure in the household must now self-isolate for 14 days. Previously, students who were close contacts would still be able to attend school.  

The changes had been hinted at by Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab on Wednesday. 

“Obviously, schools are doing a great job of keeping students safe,” Dr. Shahab had stated at the time. “And while students who are close contacts in the school setting can continue to attend school, we are looking at other aspects of the public health order because exposures in the home and other settings sometimes do result in increased importations to schools. 

“So, even though schools are not the source of transmission, schools are reflecting the high… transmission which…is primarily in the unvaccinated.” 

If a COVID-19 exposure happens within a school setting, the parents and students will be informed. School divisions will then work with local medical health officers to determine if cohorting should be implemented, or if the class or school should move to remote learning. 

 -With files from Lara Fominoff/CJME