| Who is required to wear a face covering at school? |
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Students in grades 4 to 12 will be required to wear non-medical or cloth masks indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes. Outdoor times (such as recess and other breaks) can be used as opportunities to provide students with breaks from wearing masks within their cohorts, as long as physical distancing can be maintained.
According to the Ministry of Education Guide to Re-opening Ontario’s Schools students in kindergarten to grade 3 will be encouraged, but not required, to wear masks in indoor spaces unless a school board has set their own policy which requires all children to be wearing non-medical masks.
- Students are encouraged to practise wearing masks and learn what type of mask is most comfortable for them.
- Students may wear their own non-medical masks, and non-medical masks will also be made available for students. Reasonable exceptions on the requirement to wear masks will apply. If you have any concerns, please speak with your school principal.
- All school-based staff will be required to wear masks, with reasonable exceptions for medical conditions. Medical masks and eye protection (e.g. face shield) will be provided for all teachers and other staff of school boards, depending on direction from their own school and board (e.g. when to wear a face shield). School-based staff who are regularly in close contact with students will be provided with all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
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| Will schools honour requests for religious exemptions from wearing masks while in school for students and/or staff? |
| Schools should provide reasonable exceptions to wear masks. Please refer to your school principal or local school board. |
| Should I have my child tested for COVD-19 before they go back to school? |
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Testing your child before returning to school is generally not recommended if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms, unless they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
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| Should teachers and school staff be tested for COVID-19 before returning to work in the schools? |
| Teachers and school staff do not need to be tested before returning to school, unless they have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. |
| What are the COVID-19 symptoms in children? |
- Fever (temperature of 37.8°C or greater)
- New or worsening cough
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Difficulty swallowing
- Changes to sense of taste or smell
- Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
- Runny nose, or nasal congestion (not caused by seasonal allergies)
Atypical symptoms of COVID-19 should be considered, particularly in children, older persons, and people living with a developmental disability. Atypical symptoms can include: unexplained fatigue/malaise/myalgias, delirium (acutely altered mental status and inattention), unexplained or increased number of falls, acute functional decline, exacerbation of chronic conditions, chills, headaches, croup, conjunctivitis, and multisystem inflammatory vasculitis in children. Symptoms of COVID-19.
Note: Symptoms of multisystem inflammatory vasculitis in children include persistent fever, abdominal pain, conjunctivitis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and rash.
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| What is the self-assessment that is required before the start of each school day? |
| All staff and students must self-screen every day before attending school. Signs should be posted at entrances to the school to remind students, staff, parents/caregivers, and essential visitors of screening requirements. If a student or staff member is experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, they must stay home from school and should seek medical assessment and COVID-19 testing if recommended. School boards may have developed self-screening tools for parents or parents may use the online COVID-19 school screening tool. |
| What if my child shows symptoms before going to school or at school? |
As per the Ministry of Education Guide to Reopening Ontario Schools all students and staff must self-screen every day before attending school, using a checklist before arriving at school. If a student or staff member is experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, they must stay home from school and should seek medical advice including the recommendation of testing for COVID-19.
If your child has stable symptoms of a medical condition they may attend school. Some schools may require a note from a health care provider indicating that these are conditions of a stable condition. If symptoms are new or worsening, stay home from school and consult your health care provider. Refer to Facts about... What do I do if my child is sick?
If a student or staff member feels sick, or develops symptoms while at school, schools will follow the following protocol:
- Students or staff who develop COVID-19 symptoms will immediately be separated from others, and the family will be contacted to arrange pick-up.
- Staff and students with symptoms will be directed to seek medical advice including the recommendation of testing for COVID-19 as appropriate or as advised by their medical provider. Visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/assessment-centre-locations/ for a full list of COVID 19 Assessment Centre locations, and book an appointment for COVID-19 testing in Durham Region by completing the online assessment form at covidswab.lh.ca.
- Refer to Facts about... What do I do if my child is sick?
- Siblings/staff of ill individual can remain in school until further medical advice is received and should self-monitor for symptoms.
- Staff and/or students who receive a diagnosis other than COVID-19 can return to school once they are symptom-free for 24 hours.
See Facts about... What do I do if my child is sick? and Facts about... Self-monitoring.
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| My child has been tested for COVID-19 and we are waiting for results. I have no symptoms and I am waiting for my child's test results. Can I continue to go to work? |
If your child is symptomatic and has been tested for COVID-19, you and your family, including siblings, should self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. You can continue to go to school and/or work if you have no symptoms.
- If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 while self-monitoring, you need to self-isolate and be tested for COVID-19 (and no longer attend work and school).
- If any members of your household test positive for COVID-19, you will be contacted by public health directly with more detailed advice.
See Facts about... Self-isolation, Facts about... Self-monitoring and Facts about... Instructions for individuals tested for COVID-19.
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| What should I do if my child’s symptoms get worse? |
| If symptoms compatible with COVID-19 are persisting/worsening, your child should continue to stay home from school and seek medical attention including the recommendation for testing (or re-testing). |
| If my child is attending school as part of a cohort with other children, how does this impact my social circle/bubble? |
| With schools reopening, your social circle/bubble of up to 10 people does not change. These social circles are up to 10 people where you can interact with one another without physical distancing (e.g. hugging). Children in school are engaging in public health measures including physical distancing, wearing non-medical masks, enhanced hand washing, etc. |
| What if there is a positive case at my child’s school? |
| If a COVID-19 positive case is identified in a school, a public health nurse from the Health Department will provide further instructions on who else in the school may need testing and/or monitoring/isolation at that time. Staff/children who are being managed by public health (e.g. confirmed cases of COVID-19, household contacts of cases, etc.) must follow the instructions provided by the Health Department on when they can return to school. |
| If there’s more than one child sick in a class, is the whole classroom dismissed? |
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The Health Department is responsible for determining if an outbreak exists, declaring an outbreak, and providing direction on outbreak control measures to be implemented. The Health Department will assist in determining which cohort(s) may be sent home, or if a partial or full school closure is required. School nurses will assist the school in monitoring attendance patterns. If there are concerns about multiple ill individuals in a cohort, the school should report this to the Health Department.
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| If a child who rides the bus becomes positive for COVID-19, is it just the direct child beside them that is the higher risk contact? |
| The Health Department will conduct a risk assessment to determine how close students were seated and what other public health measures were in place. This would then determine if any of the students would be considered high-risk contacts who would need to self-isolate for 14 days. |
| If someone in my child’s school or cohort tests positive for COVID-19 do I need to get my child tested? |
| If someone from a school setting tests positive for COVID-19 and your child is not considered a close contact, you do not need to have your child tested or keep them home. The Health Department will reach out to parents directly if it is determined that their child is considered a close contact and provide advice on if and when testing is necessary. |
| Does my child require a doctor’s note if they have been off ill from school? |
| No. Medical notes or proof of negative tests should not be required for staff or students to return to school. It is important to be in close communication with your school related to your child’s illness and direction provided by your health care provider. If your child does not have COVID-19 (e.g. your doctor has provided you with an alternate diagnosis), return to school can occur when symptoms are resolved for at least 24 hours. |
| Does my child need to have a negative COVID-19 test result or a doctor’s note to return to school after recovering from COVID-19? |
| No. Children can return to school if they have completed their 14 days of self-isolation, have no fever and their symptoms have been improving for at least 72 hours. However, confirmed cases of COVID-19 are managed by the Health Department and will be given guidance on when to return to school. Inform your child’s principal that you have been cleared from public health to return to school. |
| Do school staff need to have a negative COVID-19 test result or a doctor’s note to return to school after recovering from COVID-19? |
| No. School staff can return to school if they have completed their 14 days of self-isolation, have no fever and their symptoms have been improving for at least 72 hours. However, confirmed cases of COVID-19 are managed by the Health Department and will be given guidance on when to return to school. Inform your child’s principal that you have been cleared from public health to return to school. |
| When can my child return to school? |
- If your health care provider provides an alternate diagnosis, your child can return to school after being symptom-free for at least 24 hours.
- If your child has been tested for COVID-19 and is awaiting test results, your child should be in self-isolation and attend school virtually if well enough to participate.
- If your child has not been identified as a close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19 and tests negative for COVID-19, they can return to school when symptoms have resolved for at least 24 hours.
- If your child has been identified as a close contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19 a public health nurse from the Health Department will be in contact with you and will provide further instructions on self-isolation and when return to in-person learning at school can occur.
- If your child tests positive for COVID-19 a public health nurse from the Health Department will be in contact with you and will provide further instructions on self-isolation and when return to in-person learning at school can occur.
See Facts about... Instructions for individuals tested for COVID-19.
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| What if my child has a chronic medical condition. Can they attend school? |
| Children with stable symptoms of a known chronic medical condition may attend school. If symptoms are new or worsening, consult your health care provider and follow their guidance. Medical notes are not required to return to school but may be requested by your school to document that the child has a stable/chronic medical condition. |
| If a parent/guardian is symptomatic and tested for COVID-19, do their children need to remain home from school until the parent/guardian receive their results? |
| Household contacts (roommates and family members) of the ill individual who has been tested for COVID-19 should self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Household members can continue to go to school and/or work if they have no symptoms. |
| What if a parent/guardian or other household member is COVID-19 positive? |
| Parents/guardians/other household members are not required to report their test results to their school, however it is recommended. Members of your household are required to self-isolate and should not attend work or school. If your child is at school, your child should be picked up immediately. A public health nurse from the Health Department will be in contact with you for assessment and provide further direction. |
| What is considered an outbreak? |
An outbreak in a school is defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff (or other visitors) in a school where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection* in the school (including transportation and before/after school care).
*Examples of reasonably having acquired infection in school include:
- No obvious source of infection outside of the school setting; OR
- Known exposure in the school setting.
The Health Department and your school public health nurse will work closely with the school to determine close contacts of the case and will provide direction on isolation and facilitate testing.
See Facts about...Outbreaks in schools.
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| How will public health nurses be supporting schools? |
- School public health nurses will support schools in their reopening plans and support the implementation of Ministry of Education provincial guidance documents to help ensure safe and healthy school environments.
- School public health nurses will also assist in responding to school specific inquiries and will provide regular consultation and visits to the schools as required.
- School public health nurses will play a vital role in managing COVID-19 cases and outbreaks in schools, including providing guidance to schools on confirming and controlling outbreaks and facilitating and organizing testing as required.
- School public health nurses will continue to offer comprehensive school health programming such as the promotion of positive mental health strategies to keep students as healthy as possible.
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| What can my family do to protect themselves? |
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Find ways to protect you and your family.
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