Four more public schools in Saskatoon have had positive cases of the novel coronavirus.
On Monday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) notified the division of single positive cases at Brownell School, Queen Elizabeth School, Sutherland School and Tommy Douglas Collegiate.
As in all cases, communication was shared with staff, impacted classes and the school community for each case, according to a statement from the division.
In consultation with SHA, Saskatoon Public Schools has decided to close Queen Elizabeth School temporarily and move students to remote learning.
“Due to the contact tracing investigation, (Queen Elizabeth School) is facing staffing challenges for continuing in-class learning,” read the statement.
“Public health officials will be directly contacting individuals who may have been in close contact with the diagnosed individual. Risk of exposure to anyone who was not in close contact is very low.”
The school’s closure will run through Nov. 20, with it reopening on Nov. 23.
Saskatoon Public Schools has had 35 positive cases at 21 schools and the board office since the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
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