Schools Reopening Toolkit

• Students in grades 1 to 12 are required to wear properly fitted non-medical or cloth masks indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes, as well as on school vehicles.
• Students in kindergarten are encouraged but not required to wear non-medical or cloth masks in indoor spaces, as well as on school vehicles.

Tips for wearing a mask 101: Tips for parents How to keep safe while wearing your non-medical mask or face covering

• Masking is encouraged for indoor sports where they can be worn safely based on the activity.
• Students are not required to wear masks outdoors but distancing should be encouraged between cohorts as much as possible.
• Masks may be temporarily removed indoors to consume food or drink, with a minimum distance of two metres maintained between cohorts and as much distancing as possible within a cohort.

• Medical masks are required to be worn by school staff and visitors indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes.
• Staff are not required to wear medical masks outdoors. Staff must maintain at least two metres distance when consuming food/drinks.
• PPE including both medical masks and eye protection is required for education staff working in close contact with students who are not wearing masks (for example, students in kindergarten).
• Eye protection is not required for education staff working with students who wear masks.
• Where necessary for faces to be seen for lip reading to support students who are deaf or hard of hearing, masks with clear sections may be appropriate.

• Reasonable exceptions to the requirement to wear masks are expected to be put in place by schools and school boards.
• Boards are asked to carefully review their masking exceptions policies and ensure that students are supported to wear masks to the greatest extent possible.

• Students with sensory or breathing difficulties may be exempted by the school principal, guided by school board policies.
• A face shield is not a substitute for a non-medical mask or face covering. A face shield can protect your eyes from someone else’s germs, but does not keep your germs (e.g. your respiratory droplets) from spreading to others.

Tips for wearing a mask 101: Tips for parents

• Hand hygiene is washing hands with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand rub (hand sanitizer).
• Appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette are among the most important protective strategies.
• Soap and water is the most effective method when hands are visibly soiled.
• Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) with a minimum 60 per cent alcohol concentration can be used by children. It is effective when hands are not visibly soiled.
• Hand hygiene should be done by anyone entering the school and incorporated into the daily schedule at regular times during the day, above and beyond what is usually recommended (for example, before eating food, after using the washroom).

• Respiratory etiquette is preventing the spread of germs when coughing and sneezing.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Perform hand hygiene.

As much distancing as possible between all individuals should always be promoted.

What are the rules around recess and breaks outdoors?

• Distancing should be encouraged between cohorts as much as possible.
• Shared materials outdoors are permitted, with appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.

• The risk associated with transmission with shared objects is low. The focus should be on regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette to reduce the risk of infection related to shared equipment, particularly when regular cleaning of shared objects is not feasible.
• Shared homerooms, libraries and computer/technology labs, are permitted.
• Use of lockers/cubbies is permitted.
• When different cohorts interact in shared indoor spaces, masking and as much distancing as possible should be maintained between cohorts.
• The use of shared materials is permitted.

• Outdoors.
• Indoors, with a minimum distance of two metres maintained between cohorts and as much distancing as possible within a cohort.

Use of cafeterias is permitted as follows:

• Capacity limits for cafeterias should be established.
• Use of shared microwaves/kitchen space is permitted.

Food programs and events (such as a pizza days) are allowed, provided that food handlers use adequate food handling and safety practices.

• Students should be seated in a manner that maximizes physical distancing when possible, with assigned seating.
• Windows should be opened when possible to increase ventilation.
• The use of non-medical masks for students in grades 1 to 12 is required on school vehicles. Students in kindergarten are encouraged to wear masks on student transportation.

• Music programs: singing and the use of wind instruments.
• Use of gymnasiums, swimming pools, change rooms, weight rooms, indoor physical education equipment and shared outdoor equipment.
• Day trips and overnight stays.
• Clubs, activities, sport teams, bands and extra-curriculars.
• Inter-school sport activities.
• Before and after school programs.

• If there is a positive case of COVID-19 at your child’s school, Durham Region Health Department (DRHD) will work with the school to identify affected cohorts.
• If your child is identified as a close contact of the positive case, your family will receive direct communication from DRHD. 

• Every case is investigated by public health and contacts are identified. All contacts are reviewed by public health staff to determine whether they are at a high risk of COVID-19 infection.
• High risk contacts are considered to be individuals who have been in close contact with the positive case during their contagious period.
• Close contacts are advised to isolate as soon as they are identified for 10 days following their potential date of exposure. This isolation ensures they are not interacting with others during their contagious period.
• Close contacts who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days and are not symptomatic, may not be required to isolate. Public health staff will be in contact with you to assess your need to isolate. 

Refer to Facts about... COVID-19 school/in-school child care close contacts and Facts about... Close contacts

• An outbreak in a school is when two or more cases in students and/or staff in a school are linked.
• The Health Department and your school public health nurse will work closely with the school to determine if there is a link between cases that may have happened in the school.

Refer to Facts about... COVID-19 Outbreak in schools and childcare.

• Parents will be notified to immediately pick-up their child.
• The sick child will be isolated and cared for in a room until parent/guardian arrives.
• Staff attending to the sick child will be wearing personal protective equipment.
• Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested and isolate while waiting for test results.

Refer to COVID-19 what to do if my child sick and was not exposed to a known case.

• Book an appointment by completing the online assessment form: covidswab.lh.ca. 
• The child must stay in self-isolation while waiting for test results, even if their symptoms resolve. They can not attend school in person.

Refer to COVID-19 what to do if my child sick and was not exposed to a known case and Instructions for individuals tested for COVID-19.

Fully vaccinated children who have travelled outside of Canada and meet the requirements to be exempt from federal quarantine, are able to attend school.

See COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada

Unvaccinated children less than 12 years of age who enter Canada with their fully vaccinated parents, step-parents, guardians or tutors, are not required to quarantine upon entering Canada if both the child and the parents, step-parents, guardians or tutors, meet certain requirements in the Order and comply with the conditions imposed on them by the Minister of Health.

What your child cannot do for the next 14 days:

• Attend a setting where they may have contact with vulnerable people (e.g., long-term care facility), including with people who are immune compromised, regardless of that person’s vaccination status or public health measures in place.
• Attend school, camp or day care.
• Travel on crowded public transportation that does not ensure physical distancing and masking (e.g., crowded subway).
• Attend large crowded settings, indoors or outdoors, such as an amusement park or sporting event.