Three more New Westminster schools have been added to the COVID-19 school exposures list.
New Westminster Secondary School families received another notification March 1 about an exposure in their school on Feb. 17 and 23, adding to multiple exposures at the high school this month.
Richard McBride Elementary School also saw its second exposure notice of the new year, with a reported case in the school on Feb. 22 and 23. Qayqayt Elementary also saw an exposure Feb. 22 and 23, its first of 2021.
New Westminster schools have yet to report the presence of variants of concern, but reports of school variant exposures have been rising in Fraser Health (the region that stretches from Burnaby to Boston Bar, including New Westminster). Numerous schools in Surrey have seen exposures related to variants of concern, and variant exposures have now also been reported in schools in Coquitlam and Burnaby.
Fraser Health says the variant strain of COVID-19 can transmit more quickly and easily than the original virus, but it does not interfere with the effectiveness of vaccines or the ability to test for the virus.
But, with rising variant cases in the region, residents are being reminded to be vigilant.
“It is critically important for people living in the Fraser Health region to get tested as soon as you have COVID-19-like symptoms, even mild ones,” a Fraser Health press release says.
People living in the Fraser Health region can find information about test centres by visiting Fraser Health’s website.
To book a COVID-19 testing appointment, complete a COVID-19 test booking form.
Parents are also reminded to continue to conduct daily health checks before sending students to school and to keep students home if they are sick.
COVID-19 SCHOOL EXPOSURES IN NEW WESTMINSTER IN 2021
- Glenbrook Middle School: Jan. 4; Feb. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22
- Home Learners Program: Jan. 5
- Queensborough Middle School: Jan. 11
- Herbert Spencer Elementary: Jan. 25
- Fraser River Middle School: Jan. 27, 28 and 29
- New Westminster Secondary School: Jan. 28; Feb. 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 17, 18, 19, 23
- Richard McBride Elementary School: Feb. 10, 11, 12, 22, 23
- Qayqayt Elementary School: Feb. 22, 23
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, [email protected].
