COVID-19 exposures in three more schools

B.C. health authorities are reporting three more incidents of COVID-19 exposure at public schools.

Fraser Health says a person infected with COVID-19 attended Abbotsford's Harry Sayers Elementary on Sept. 14-15. Meanwhile, an infected person attended Abbotsford's Ten-Broeck Elementary on Sept. 17. Interior Health, meanwhile, issued an exposure notice for Rossland Summit School, where a single case was confirmed on Monday.

Those who may have been exposed to the virus are asked to monitor themselves for symptoms. Of 31 exposure notices involving B.C. schools, 21 have been in the Fraser Health region, including 15 in Surrey school district alone.

There have been five school exposure incidents in Vancouver Coastal Health, but the health region lists only one on its website, at West Van's Sentinel Secondary from Sept. 14-18.

Parents of students at four other Coastal Health region schools — Vancouver's Hastings Elementary, Richmond's McMath Secondary, West Van's Collingwood Independent and West Vancouver Secondary — have received letters disclosing exposures at those schools, but VCH says it issues public exposure notifications only when it fails to reach close contacts in a timely manner.

That approach contradicts an edict from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry that all health regions must publish notices for all schools where there have been exposure incidents.