Three New Westminster schools on COVID-19 exposures list

New Westminster schools have started the week with three new COVID-19 exposure notices.

Glenbrook Middle School, Richard McBride Elementary School and New Westminster Secondary School have all been added to the Fraser Health school exposures website.

According to the site, exposures occurred at both Glenbrook and Richard McBride on April 6 and 7, and another at New Westminster Secondary on April 6.

The NWSS notice follows earlier notification of exposures at the high school on March 29, 30, 31 and April 1. Families were notified of those exposures on April 5.

A school district report (in the agenda package for the April 13 school board meeting) notes the April 5 exposures involved three separate notifications, which all led to both self-monitor and self-isolation orders. One self-isolation order was issued to a full class, while the other two self-isolation notices went to seven individuals and one individual, respectively.

The new exposures follow spring break (which ran from March 15 to 26) and the Easter long weekend. They come against the backdrop of rising COVID-19 case numbers in B.C. and growing concern over variant strains of COVID.

Teachers’ union local presidents in the Fraser Health region, including New Westminster, have signed on to a letter lobbying the province to take “more aggressive” action to combat the virus in schools.

They want to see mandatory masks for all ages (currently, masks are “encouraged” but not required for kindergarten to Grade 3) and confirmation of when teachers can expect to be vaccinated.

They’ve also asked the province to switch to Stage 3 of B.C.’s education restart plan in the Fraser Health region, which would mean a hybrid model of part-time in-class and part-time online learning in order to reduce the number of students in classrooms.

Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
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