Confirmed Case of COVID-19 at Queen Victoria – October 15, 2020
October 15, 2020
Dear Queen Victoria Families,
This letter is to inform you that a staff member in our school has tested positive for COVID-19.
The staff was last in the building on Thursday, October 8. Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS) notified Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) of the positive test result on October 15.
As a precautionary measure, the students and staff associated with this case will self-isolate pending further direction from HPHS. HPHS will contact individuals as part of their contact tracing process. Children impacted from the before- and after-school program have also been notified and any close contacts will receive a call from HPHS.
It is vital that personal health information and identifiers are not released, and the privacy of everyone involved is respected.
HWDSB and our school are working closely with Public Health to ensure appropriate measures are in place to prevent the spread of illness to other students or people in the school community. Please continue to have your child attend school, unless of course you are a close contact and directed otherwise by HPHS, monitor for symptoms, and perform daily screening for COVID-19 symptoms. Find symptoms on the COVID-19 school screening website.
If your child/ren develops COVID-19 symptoms, they must stay home from school and should get a COVID-19 test. To book a COVID-19 please go to www.HamiltonCovidTest.ca.
If your child/ren develops COVID-19 symptoms, they will need to stay home from school. If your child/ren will be away from school, please use SafeArrival to inform the school about the reason for the absence; provide information about symptoms. This will help HWDSB and Hamilton Public Health understand illness transmission in the community. Find details about Safe Arrival.
Cleaning
In response to a confirmed case, HWDSB follows a detailed cleaning and disinfecting protocol. Additional measures may also be taken, in consultation with Public Health. Students and staff will only be admitted into a school space once these measures are complete and when we are confident it is safe to use.
Well-being Supports
We understand that this is a concerning development and want to support you. For mental health and well-being supports, please contact your school or explore the resources at www.hwdsb.on.ca/mentalhealth
Questions
- Hamilton Public Health COVID hotline at 905-974-9848 or [email protected]
- If you feel that your child could benefit from support, HWDSB social workers are available. Please speak with staff if this would be helpful. You can also use the HWDSB Helps app explained at https://bit.ly/2DhmURj
- Learn about COVID-19 in Hamilton at https://www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus
- Learn about HWDSB’s school reopening precautions at hwdsb.on.ca/covid19
Our shared priority is the health and safety of the children and staff in our school community. As we continue to navigate through this pandemic, it will always be our intention to provide you with information that assures you of our preparedness, procedural precautions, and of our ability to provide a safe setting for both children, their families, and educators.
Please know that we remain focused on the well-being of our school community and will update you throughout the process. Contact the school if you have further questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kelly Sweeting
Principal
Updated on Thursday, October 15, 2020.