Less than 2 weeks from end of B.C. school year, 51 schools still on local COVID-19 exposure lists
The last day of school in British Columbia is less than two weeks away, and 51 schools in the Lower Mainland are still dealing with recent COVID-19 exposures.
As of Friday, there had been exposures at 10 different schools in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and 41 schools in the Fraser Health region over the last 14 days.
In a school context, an exposure is defined as one or more people who have tested positive for the coronavirus and were present at the school during their infectious period.
Schools are added to the regional health authority lists whenever an exposure takes place, and they remain there until 14 days after the last exposure date.
Fifty-one is the lowest total number of exposures CTV News Vancouver has recorded in the Lower Mainland since it began tracking school exposures every Friday in mid-May.
Archived versions of the Fraser Health school exposures web page on archive.org suggest that the number of exposures in the region has been at least that high since late January, though data is incomplete.
Data on COVID-19 infections in schools released by both Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health shows that in-school transmission of the coronavirus is rare. Health officials have repeatedly said that the number of school exposures generally reflects the level of transmission happening in the broader community, not in schools.
Still, B.C. teachers have continually pushed for greater protection from COVID-19 in the classroom, demanding mask mandates and improved ventilation, as well as online learning options in some circumstances.
Those efforts are set to continue as the province plans for a return to "near normal" when the next school year begins in September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.