
Schools
Updated on 2022-04-28
School boards, schools and parents should visit this website regularly as information and resources related to COVID-19 are updated frequently.
On this page:
- COVID-19 Screening
- COVID-19 Symptoms
- COVID-19 Testing for Students and Staff
- For Students and Staff Presumed to Have COVID-19 or Having Tested Positive for COVID-19
- For Students and Staff Exposed to COVID-19
- Masking Requirement
- Reporting and Monitoring of COVID-19 Cases and Close Contacts
- COVID-19 Safe Options for Planning Events in Schools
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Additional Resources
COVID-19 Screening
- Staff and students should self-screen every day before attending school using COVID-19 School and Child Care Screening.
- IMPORTANT! Carefully read and follow the advice provided with the screening result.
COVID-19 Symptoms
- Refer to Poster: COVID-19 Symptoms
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Most common symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever and/or chills, OR cough, OR shortness of breath, OR decrease or loss of taste or smell.
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Less common symptoms of COVID-19:
- Runny nose/nasal congestion, headache, extreme fatigue, sore throat, muscle aches/joint pain, gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e., vomiting or diarrhea).
- If students/staff have one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19 or two of the less common symptoms of COVID-19, assume they have the virus and may be contagious. They must self-isolate, regardless of vaccination status (confirmation tests are NOT required).
- Refer to the section For Students and Staff Presumed to Have COVID-19 or Having Tested Positive for COVID-19 of this page.
- If students/staff have one of the less common symptoms of COVID-19, they can return to school if it has been at least 24 hours since their symptoms started improving (48 hours for nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea) and they do not develop any additional symptoms.
COVID-19 Testing for Students and Staff
- When available, Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) or PCR self-collection kits may be used when a student or staff member is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.
- If students/staff test positive on a RAT, the test result does NOT have to be confirmed with a PCR test. Parents do NOT need to report a positive RAT/PCR test to the school.
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Negative RAT/PCR Results
- Symptomatic individuals who test negative on a single RAT are advised to self-isolate. A single negative rapid antigen test does not mean that they do no have COVID-19 infection.
- If two consecutive RATs, separated by 24-48 hours, are both negative, the symptomatic individual is less likely to have COVID-19 infection, and the individual is advised to self-isolate until symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms are present).
- Individuals who test negative on a PCR test (processed by a lab) must stay home until their symptom(s) have been improving for 24 hours (48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms are present).
For Students and Staff Presumed to Have COVID-19 or Having Tested Positive for COVID-19
- All individuals who are presumed to have COVID-19 based on their symptoms or have tested positive on a COVID-19 test (PCR, rapid molecular, or rapid antigen) should:
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Self-isolate immediately as per the criteria in the You have symptoms and are concerned you may have COVID-19. Now what? flow chart.
- When calculating the isolation period, the first day of symptoms or positive result (whichever is earlier) counts as day zero.
- After self-isolation is complete, until day 10 (or day 20 for immunocompromised individuals) after the first day of symptoms or positive result, the individual must:
- Continue to wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools).Refer to Masking Requirement section of this page for additional instructions.
- Not visit anyone who is immunocompromised or at higher risk of illness (i.e., seniors).
- Not visit or attend work in any highest risk settings.
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Self-isolate immediately as per the criteria in the You have symptoms and are concerned you may have COVID-19. Now what? flow chart.
- If student presents with new or worsening symptoms consistent with COVID-19 at school, refer to Managing Students with COVID-19 Symptoms at School – Instructions for staff.
For Students and Staff Exposed to COVID-19
Note: Guidance below is for close contacts (high-risk contacts) who do NOT have symptoms.
- Close contacts include those who had contact with the symptomatic/COVID-19 positive individual within the 48 hours prior to their symptom onset (if symptomatic) or within 48 hours prior to specimen collection date and until they started self-isolating; AND
- Were in close proximity (less than 2 meters) for at least 15 minutes or for multiple short periods of time without appropriate measures as masking, distancing and/or use of personal protective equipment.
- If the student/staff was exposed to COVID-19 ONLY while at school, generally contacts would not be considered close contacts due to the layering of health and safety measures in place.
- If the student/staff is a close contact:
- Refer to You’ve been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or someone with COVID-19 symptoms. Now what?
- If self-isolation is complete after 5 days, or if self-isolation is not required, for a total of 10 days after the last exposure to the COVID-19 case, close contacts must:
- Self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate if they develop any symptom of COVID-19.
- Continue to wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools). Refer to Masking Requirement section of this page for additional instructions.
- Not visit anyone who is immunocompromised or at higher risk of illness (i.e., seniors).
- Not visit or attend work in any highest risk settings.
Masking Requirement
Starting March 21, 2022, wearing a mask in schools, school board offices and on student transportation is a personal choice except for a few situations where masks continue to be required. Please be kind to those who choose to continue wearing a mask. Some individuals continue to be at-risk of serious illness. Respect the risk tolerance and masking decisions of others.
The following are situations where masks should be worn at schools:
- If a student becomes symptomatic while at school:
- School should provide the student with a medical grade mask if tolerated, and ensure the student remains in the isolation room until they are picked up.
- Refer to Managing Students with COVID-19 Symptoms at School – Instructions for staff for additional information
- School should provide the student with a medical grade mask if tolerated, and ensure the student remains in the isolation room until they are picked up.
- When a student/staff is returning from international travel:
- Under current federal travel requirements, individuals who are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask at all times when in public spaces (including schools) for 14 days.
- If a student/staff is presumed to have COVID-19 (or tested positive for COVID-19):
- Once self-isolation is complete, the student/staff should wear a well-fitted masks at school, until day 10 (or day 20 for immunocompromised individuals) after the first day of symptoms or positive result.
- If a student/staff is an asymptomatic close contact, they should wear a well-fitted mask at school during their self-monitoring period.
- If self-isolation is required, the self-monitoring period starts when self-isolation is complete and lasts until day 10 after the last exposure to COVID-19.
- If self-isolation is not required, the self-monitoring period starts immediately after the exposure and lasts for a total of 10 days.
NOTE: If you wear a mask at school as per the situations above:
- Wear a mask at all times, including outdoors during recess.
- Reasonable exceptions include temporary removal for essential activities like eating (e.g., when eating in shared space at school/work while maintaining as much distancing from others as possible).
- Do not participate in activities where mask removal is necessary. E.g.:
- Playing a wind instrument in music class.
- Participating in a high-contact and/or high-intensity activity or sport if a mask cannot be worn safely.
Reporting and Monitoring of COVID-19 Cases and Close Contacts
- Cases of COVID-19 are no longer being reported to the Ministry of Health nor are they being published on the Ministry of Health website.
- Parents/caregivers will NOT receive a letter from the school to advise them of a case of COVID-19 at school.
- As of January 19, 2022, schools will report on student and staff absences to the Ministry of Education, daily through the Absence Reporting Tool (ART).
- Refer to COVID-19: school closures and absenteeism to learn about school closures and staff and student absences in publicly funded Ontario schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Schools will report high absenteeism rates (e.g., 30% above their baseline) to the EOHU and send a notification letter to parents/caregivers (from the EOHU) with information on public health measures to follow.
COVID-19 Safe Options for Planning Events in Schools
On March 21, 2022, the Ministry of Education removed all limitations on in-person gatherings and assemblies, thereby allowing schools to plan and host in-person events.
To support decision-making regarding an event, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) and Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU) encourage schools to consider their absenteeism rate and their community’s COVID-19 status. Refer to EOHU Local Status Updates and Statistics.
If you choose to plan or host a school event, consider the following health and safety measures:
- Use a well-ventilated area with plenty of space where participants can physically distance if they choose to do so. Where possible, gather outdoors for more space and good ventilation.
- If the event is held in an indoor crowded area, encourage participants to think about wearing a mask.
- All participants (staff, students, volunteer, family members etc.) should self-screen prior to attending the event using the COVID-19 School and Child Care Screening tool.
- Post a sign with COVID-19 symptoms at the entrance and ask participants not to enter if they have a symptom(s). Refer to Poster: COVID-19 Symptoms.
- Post a sign reinforcing hand hygiene and provide hand sanitizer at key locations such as at the entrance or by shared items.
- Encourage mask wearing, particularly if older adults or immunocompromised individuals will be participating in the event to help protect them from serious illness as a result of a COVID-19 infection.
- If you are serving food, refer to Food in Schools during COVID-19 for more COVID-19 health and safety measures.
Infection Prevention and Control
- COVID-19: health and safety measures at schools
- Preventing COVID-19: Refresher Presentations for Schools and Childcare Settings
- Additional Infection Prevention and Control Resources
- COVID-19 Teaching Tools for Educators
- Food in Schools during COVID-19