A number of schools in the Comox Valley have confirmed COVID-19 exposures, with one school shutting down in-person learning for one week.
According to the BC School Covid Tracker website, four different schools in the area have had exposures from Nov. 16 to 28.
Independent school Phil & Jennie Gaglardi Academy in Comox, which earlier in the month had two COVID-19 exposures and a full grade in isolation, is now closed to in-person teaching until Dec.3 due to multiple exposures.
According to posts on social media, many classes within the school had COVID-19 exposures.
On Nov. 21, Aspen Park Elementary in Comox reported an exposure that happened on Nov. 15; Ecole Au Coeur de L’ile also reported an exposure on Nov. 19, 22, 23 and 24.
Additionally, Brooklyn Elementary reported an exposure on Nov. 19 and 23.
In a letter sent to parents, guardians, families and staff by Island Health to Brooklyn School, the health authority noted they are completing contact tracing to identify any staff or students that may need to self-isolate as high-risk contacts.
An exposure at Glacier View School was posted Nov. 21, for an incident that covered the entire previous week (Nov. 15-19).
Arden Elementary School made the list on Sunday, Nov. 28 for an exposure incident Nov 22, 23, and on Monday, Nov. 29, the website posted two separate exposure incidents at Lake Trail Community School.
Both incidents show exposure dates Nov. 22-24, but a letter sent to parents by Island Health, and obtained by the website, indicated that although the dates are identical, the “letter is for two different exposures.”
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They said unless an individual or student is notified as a high-risk contact, they are not required to isolate at this time, but are required to monitor closely for symptoms for 14 days.
Throughout the course of contact tracing, if Island Health determines someone to be at higher risk than originally thought, they will receive an additional letter or phone call with further instructions.
As for COVID-19 exposures on flights arriving or departing from the Comox Valley Airport, the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control announced as of Nov. 16, it is no longer posting public notifications about COVID-19 exposures for passenger travel by plane, train, bus or cruise ship.
The last recorded flight exposure arriving at YQQ was on Nov.6 on WestJet flight 3315 from Calgary into Comox, affecting rows 13-19.
Starting Nov. 30, all passengers are required to be fully vaccinated to board a plane, train or cruise ship for domestic travel in Canada as well as to enter Canada from international travel. From Oct. 30 to Nov. 29, there is a short transition period when travellers who don’t qualify as fully vaccinated will be able to travel if they can show a valid COVID-19 molecular test taken within 72 hours of travel.
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