Three confirmed cases have been reported at Raft River Elementary over the last two weeks. Possible exposures were noted on Oct. 25 and 26, as well as Nov. 1 to 3 on the Interior Health website.
Only confirmed cases will be noted on the IH website, and those who may have been exposed will be contacted by the health authority through contact tracing. It is through this process that each person will be told how long they need to isolate for. When a case has been confirmed only those who have tested positive or may have been in contact with that person will be notified by the health authority.
| A screenshot of a list of school exposures in School District 73, including the three at Raft River Elementary on Oct. 25, 26 and Nov. 1. (BC School COVID Tracker) |
“The website notifications are intended as a secondary resource to give parents and educators a general sense of activity in Interior Health schools,” a spokesperson for Interior Health media relations told the Times in an email. “They are not part of direct public health follow-up on confirmed cases and website postings will take place after individuals are aware they have COVID-19 and contact tracing has already happened.”
School exposures in the Interior Health region can be viewed on their website at news.interiorhealth.ca/news/school-exposures/. After 14 days, the notifications are taken down.
“The most important thing for students and families to remember is that students who have any symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home and get tested,” said IH in a statement. “The best way to protect everyone is for those who are eligible to get vaccinated now. That protects not just them, but also the broader school community including younger children who aren’t able yet to receive the vaccine.”
| Interior Health soon added two additional potential exposure events on Nov. 2 and 3. The previous dates, Oct. 25 and 26, have been taken off as it has been longer than 14 days since the events. (Interior Health) |
The North Thompson local health area saw four more positive cases of COVID-19 from Oct. 24 to 30, according to data compiled by the BC Centres for Disease Control. There were at least 13 positive cases reported in the region in October.
B.C. public health teams recorded 553 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, 462 on Sunday and 423 on Monday, along with 17 deaths attributed to the coronavirus in the three days. There were 321 new cases in Interior Health over the same three days.
Immunization clinics are available in Clearwater on Thursday Nov. 18 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.) and Barriere Nov. 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.), both at the local health centres. Both clinics are closed on Nov. 11.
For first and second doses, walk-ins are accepted, but appointments are required for third shots. To make an appointment call 1-833-838-2323. Those needing their second dose can now receive it as early as 28 days after the first dose.
This story has been updated to include two additional potential exposure events at the school on Nov. 2 and 3 that were added by Interior Health after initial publication.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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