One week after classes began for the 2021-2022 school year there are reports of COVID-19 cases being found among members of the “school community” at some Cowichan Valley district schools.
Notifications have been provided to parents of Cowichan Secondary School and Drinkwater Elementary School to alert them that Island Health has found a member of the school community with COVID-19 at each one and is following up.
The notifications state that it does not necessarily mean there has been a COVID-19 exposure incident at either school.
There are reports of the virus being found among staff or students at three other district schools.
The Cowichan Valley school district is following provincial guidance on health and safety guidelines that mandate the wearing of masks for all grade four through grade 12 students and all staff while indoors.
Mask wearing is also recommended for students in Kindergarten to grade three.
School district 79 hopes that families will help encourage mask-wearing.
Schools in the district are also using enhanced cleaning measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
