Province reveals plan for students, staff with COVID-19 symptoms at school

When Saskatchewan schools open this fall, they’ll have isolation areas for students and staff members who display COVID-19 symptoms while in the building.

As part of the Safe Schools Plan, the provincial government is asking schools to designate a spot where any symptomatic students or staff members must go if they aren’t able to leave the building immediately.

If a student shows symptoms, their teacher must contact a school official who has been designated to accompany the student to the school’s pre-identified isolation area.

The staff member will be required to practise physical distancing and must wear a face mask and shield throughout their interaction with the child. The student also will be given a mask to wear.

The staff member will stay with the student and will call the student’s parents or caregivers to pick up the child. None of the school’s staff members are to drive the student home.

The designated staff member also must call public health officials to say the student had been taken out of school after showing symptoms. Public health will do an initial assessment and then tell school officials what steps to take.

“Once the student has exited the school facility, staff must wash their hands adequately with soap and water and ensure high-touch areas are cleaned and disinfected,” the government said in a media release. “The school’s isolation area must be cleaned and disinfected by non-teaching staff.”

The student’s classroom and desk, along with surroundings desks and any common-touch items in the classroom or other school facilities (such as washrooms) must be disinfected.

If a teacher develops symptoms, they’ll be required to tell the designated staff member to make alternate plans for teaching and to notify public health. Officials then will do an assessment and give the school further direction.

Cleaning and disinfecting will be done after the teacher leaves the building.

If the student or teacher tests positive, the Saskatchewan Health Authority will tell the school what steps to take. Those could include self-isolation, self-monitoring, contact tracing and testing.

To help with contact tracing, schools will have to keep track of attendance and seating plans.

“School divisions will have alternative learning opportunities in place for students who are unable to attend school for medical reasons,” the government’s release said. “This will ensure students have continued delivery of education.”

The province is encouraging parents to watch their children for symptoms. If symptoms are present, the students should stay home and self-isolate.