COVID-19 in schools: B.C. changing how parents will be notified about cases

Vancouver -

With students in B.C. being back in class for a couple of weeks, the province's health officials are already changing some of its procedures around COVID-19 notifications and contact tracing in schools.

Earlier this month, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said B.C. would no longer issue school-wide letters when someone tested positive for the disease. Instead, just those who were exposed to the disease would be notified directly. 

"It was my understanding that there was a level of anxiety from the way that we had given broad school notifications last year," Henry said in a news conference Tuesday.

"But we hear from parents across the province, I hear from educators and our teams have recognized that parents do need an authoritative source to go to have an understanding of what is happening at their children's school."

Henry said her team is still working to develop its new system, but said it would be "less intrusive and more sustainable." Officials hope to have that in place by the weekend.

"If your child has been exposed to somebody with COVID in a school system, you will be notified," she said.

"It does take time to follow up on each individual case and that sometimes can take longer than you expect but you will be notified."

Henry reiterated that vaccines have changed the situations in schools this year.

"This year is different because we have so many of our school staff and students protected through vaccination," she said.