COVID-19 outbreaks declared at Lasalle Secondary School, Cyril Varney Public School, and The Walford Sudbury retirement home, and one COVID-19-related death reported

Public Health Sudbury & Districts has declared COVID-19 outbreaks at Lasalle Secondary School and Cyril Varney Public School (Rainbow District School Board) in Greater Sudbury. This follows the dismissal of all students and staff at both schools on February 24, 2021. The ongoing investigation has identified one additional case of COVID-19 at each of Lasalle Secondary School and Cyril Varney Public School.

Parents, caregivers, and students are advised to continue to follow public health direction and are being provided notice of the outbreak. Public Health continues to work closely with Lasalle Secondary School, Cyril Varney Public School, and school board administrators at Rainbow District School Board to further limit the spread of infection. Individuals who are identified as close contacts of a case in a school are contacted directly by Public Health.

Public Health has also declared a COVID-19 outbreak at The Walford Sudbury retirement home following the report of one case of COVID-19 in a staff member. Public Health is actively working with the retirement home to investigate the outbreak and to protect residents and staff.

Public Health is also reporting a COVID-19-related death in Greater Sudbury. The individual was linked to the outbreak at Health Sciences North. Public Health Sudbury & Districts offers sincere condolences to the family, friends, and caregivers affected by this loss and throughout this difficult time. Out of respect, no further details will be provided. The death will be reported in Public Health’s daily update of COVID-19 case data at 4 p.m. tomorrow. A total of thirteen deaths have now been reported across our service area since the beginning of the pandemic.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reminding everyone to carefully follow public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Continue to screen yourself for symptoms and practise COVID-safe behaviours.

Updates about COVID-19 testing, confirmed cases, and outbreaks in Greater Sudbury, the District of Sudbury, and the District of Manitoulin are posted online.

For more information or if you have questions, please visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

Backgrounder

What does it mean for others in your household, if you or your child have been told to self-isolate due to classroom or school dismissals related to COVID-19?

If a student, school staff, or educator has been told to stay home and follow self-isolation directions, the other members of the household will also be impacted. If the person who was told to self-isolate does not have symptoms of COVID-19, household members will need to remain at home except for essential reasons until the person is released from isolation. Essential reasons include attending work, school, or childcare, and essential errands such as groceries, attending medical appointments, or picking up prescriptions.

What does it mean for a child if a parent is required to self-isolate?

If a parent or caregiver (for example, school staff or educator) does not have symptoms and is at home self-isolating because their classroom was dismissed or for any other reason, the parent or caregiver is expected to remain at home and must follow self-isolation instructions. The parent or caregiver must remain isolated (away) from other members of household, including any children.

If the parent or caregiver is able to self-isolate away from children and everyone else in the household, everyone else in their household is required to stay home except for essential reasons. Essential reasons include attending work, school, or childcare, and essential errands such as groceries, attending medical appointments, or picking up prescriptions.

If the parent or caregiver is not able to self-isolate on their own, for example, they have a young child or children to care for, the child or children will also need to follow self-isolation instructions. This means the children cannot go to school or daycare and must remain at home.

What does it mean for a parent if a child is required to self-isolate?

If a child does not have symptoms and is at home self-isolating because their classroom was dismissed or for any other reason, the child is expected to remain at home and must follow self-isolation instructions. The child must remain isolated (away) from other members of household, including parents and siblings.

If the child is able to self-isolate on their own, everyone else in their household is required to stay home except for essential reasons. Essential reasons include attending work, school, or childcare, and essential errands such as groceries, attending medical appointments, or picking up prescriptions.

If the child is not able to self-isolate on their own, apart from other household members, a parent or caregiver must also isolate with the child away from other household members. This means the parent or caregiver must follow self-isolation guidance for themselves including, for example, not leaving the home for groceries or to work.

What happens if a child, parent, or guardian develops symptoms during their self-isolation?

If anybody has even one symptom of COVID-19, everyone in the household is required to self-isolate until the symptomatic individual receives a negative test result or is provided an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional. If the individual with symptoms does not seek COVID-19 testing or does not receive an alternative diagnosis, all household contacts must isolate for 14 days from their last contact with that symptomatic individual.