Two Montreal schools shut down this week due to COVID-19 outbreaks
At least two Montreal elementary schools were shut down this week due to outbreaks of COVID-19.
The first closure that was confirmed happened at the Sainte-Odile Elementary School, located on Depatie Street in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, after all 530 students were sent home due to what the school described as “several” infections. The school did not provide the number of cases.
In a letter sent to parents on Monday and obtained by CTV News, the school said the closure will last until Sept. 24.
A virtual-classwork system hasn’t yet been fully implemented.
To ensure the school’s 530 students don't miss out on class work, those who needed computers to do work from home have now received them and virtual follow-ups will start tomorrow, said Alain Perron, a spokesperson from the school service centre.
Perron also confirmed Wednesday evening that a second school, École Saint-Émile in Rosemont, will close this week due to a coronavirus outbreak. No other details were released.
The closures come as rapid testing appears to be ramping up in Quebec schools.
The education ministry said in an email to CTV News that rapid testing kits were delivered to school service centres in the Montreal area last week.
"It is up to them to distribute the tests to the schools concerned, including Sainte-Odile," said ministry spokesperson Bryan St-Louis.
"Schools will be able to begin administering the tests before the end of the month, once they are ready.
The English Montreal School Board, which has one school in a designated hot zone, said Wednesday they have not yet rolled out rapid testing.
Rapid tests in schools are being rolled out to 10 regions in Quebec as infections driven by the more transmissible Delta variant continues to rise, but Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist with the McGill University Health Centre, said it is just one tool in curbing the spread of the virus.
"Could rapid testing have prevented the closure of [Sainte-Odile]? Perhaps, but I think we have to take a step back and say: could masking, and distancing, and bubbling or cohorting have prevented this?" he said, adding that these basic measures, if properly enforced, are proven methods at preventing cases from spreading.
"Rapid testing has a lot of advantages, but it needs to be used properly."
Schools need to decide how teachers, who are being tasked with administering the tests, will use them -- whether it's for diagnosing a symptomatic student or for testing as a preventative measure, he said.
"You need to think about this and map out those strategies and train the schools ahead of time before you find yourself in deep waters."
The Coeur-Immacule elementary school in Sherbrooke, Que. also closed down Monday, as hundreds of schools have had COVID-19 infections so far during the fourth wave of the pandemic and have sent home classrooms.
Most children at that school were permitted to return Wednesday, school officials say, with the exception of eight groups that must remain in isolation.
At Sainte-Odile, public health is asking all parents to bring their kids for COVID-19 tests, even if they aren’t considered high-risk, and to notify the school when the test is complete and when the results come back.
While the closure is only expected to last through Friday, the letter to parents assured them that children who are infected or deemed high-risk will be required to do a longer quarantine period.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
BREAKING Police cordon off Iran consulate in Paris where man threatens to blow himself up: French media
French police cordoned off the Iranian consulate in Paris on Friday, where a man was threatening to blow himself up, Europe 1 radio and BFM TV.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.