COVID-19 School Information

Check the provincial testing criteria(external link) to determine if your child is eligible for COVID-19 testing. Use the chart below to determine when your child should be tested:

Students and children are required to stay home from school or child care if anyone in their household has new or worsening symptoms of COVID-19 and has been recommended for isolation and testing.

All asymptomatic household contacts of symptomatic individuals are required to quarantine, without exemption, even for essential reasons, until the symptomatic household member:

• receives a negative COVID-19 test result; or
• receives an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional.

If the symptomatic individual tests positive, or is not tested and does not receive an alternative diagnosis from a health care professional, the symptomatic individual must isolate (including from household members) for 10 days from symptom onset. All household contacts must isolate until 14 days from their last contact with the symptomatic individual.

If an individual tests negative for COVID-19, they may return to school if it has been at least 24 hours since their symptoms started improving, providing:

• They pass the Ontario COVID-19 screening tool and
• They do not have a fever (without using medication) and
• There is no known high-risk exposure and
• The individual is not advised by Halton Region Public Health or health care provider to self-isolate

Halton Region Public Health will provide direction for return to school when an individual tests positive for COVID-19

There are different types of COVID-19 testing available. A summary can be found on Halton Region’s COVID-19 Information and Guidance webpage (see Testing and results under COVID-19 core information).

For individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 or were exposed to someone with COVID-19, the preferred testing is by molecular PCR test, which is available through assessment centres and some physician offices. Students, school staff and visitors who do not pass their daily COVID-19 screening should get tested. Testing at local assessment centres (external link) is easy to access and turnaround times for test results in Halton are very good.

When there is concern of ongoing COVID-19 transmission at a school, Public Health will work with the school board and Ontario Health partners to make the molecular PCR testing more accessible for the particular school community. This is a rare situation and in Halton, we have not required this for any of our schools to date.

Widespread routine testing of asymptomatic (those who have no symptoms) students and staff is not planned at this time. Health units would use this testing in areas of high community transmission or if there is poor local access to PCR testing.

If someone in a school setting tests positive for COVID-19 and an individual is a close contact, the individual will receive a letter from Halton Region Public Health with information on how and when to get tested for COVID-19 as well as additional actions for the individual and their family.

Public Health will maintain the confidentiality of the individual who tested positive for COVID-19. Also, Public Health will work closely with school administration to provide appropriate communication to all families.

To maintain individual privacy, school staff or parents/guardians will only be contacted by Halton Region Public Health if their child(ren) are identified as a close contact of a confirmed case, and further information about the individual case or outbreak will not be shared publicly.

If an asymptomatic individual is directed to self-isolate as a high-risk contact of a positive COVID-19 case, their asymptomatic household members should stay home for 14 days except for essential reasons. In this case, attending school, child care or work is allowable for the household contacts as an essential activity, as long as everyone in the household remains asymptomatic.

Should the high-risk contact become symptomatic, all asymptomatic household contacts are required to quarantine, without exemption, even for essential reasons, until the symptomatic individual receives a negative COVID-19 test result, or an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional.

If the symptomatic individual does not seek COVID-19 testing, all household contacts must quarantine for 14 days from their last contact with that symptomatic individual.

As every situation is unique, Public Health will determine the risk level of contacts as part of their case investigation. There are many things we take into consideration while doing our risk assessment, which is consistent across Ontario. For example, we explore if the confirmed or probable case:

• was symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, or asymptomatic;
• was at school during the time they were considered infectious;
• is a student or staff member;
• knows the source of their infection (if they do, it is unlikely they got it at the school but if they do not, then we have to consider the school as the site where they may have become infected).

We also explore:

• the age group/grade;
• developmental stage;
• ability to wear appropriate personal protective equipment;
• the type of activities the person was involved in while at school; and
• the current IPAC practices at the school and of staff member and students, including:
  • Physical distancing
  • Desk spacing
  • Masking
  • Cohorting

The most important piece of information is if the individual was at school during the time they were considered infectious. All of the other information is taken together to help Public Health staff determine risk. Close contacts with high-risk exposure are asked to self-isolate and seek testing.

An outbreak would be declared in a school once it has been determined that there are two positive cases with an epidemiological link (for example, these children could have become infected with COVID-19 at school either from each other or a common source). Each case will need to be assessed and it would need to be determined that transmission occurred in the school before confirming it as an outbreak since it is possible that children could have been infected outside the school setting.

Once an outbreak in a school is confirmed, Halton Region Public Health would communicate with parents of close contacts to let them know and provide further direction on actions to take which include: staying home, monitoring for symptoms and getting tested when it’s appropriate. Public Health would continue to investigate to identify any other close contacts and will determine if a classroom or the entire school would need to be closed.

To maintain individual privacy, school staff or parents/guardians will only be contacted by Halton Region Public Health if their child(ren) are identified as a close contact of a confirmed case, and further information about the individual case or outbreak will not be shared publicly.

• The Ministry of Education requires students in Grades 1 to 12 to wear non-medical or cloth masks indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes, as well as on school vehicles. Where physical distancing cannot be maintained, students are required to wear masks outdoors.
• Students in Kindergarten are to be encouraged but not required to wear masks.
• Reasonable exceptions on the requirement to wear masks will apply. Exemption documentation is not required.
• Students may wear their own non-medical masks Parents are responsible for providing and maintaining cleanliness of the mask.
• Schools and school boards may choose to implement additional masking measures based on local circumstances.

Non-medical masks or face coverings are safe to use, even among children.

In terms of risks, continuous mask use may be associated with facial skin lesions, rashes and acne. In younger age groups, there are potential risks related to language and social development. Also, there is a risk of self-contamination if an individual touches or moves their mask with dirty hands. Therefore, it is important to incorporate hand hygiene with mask use.

Overall, Halton Region Public Health recommends the use of non-medical masks or face coverings as an additional measure to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The following are tips for how to care for your mask:

• Clearly identify your mask with names or initials, to avoid confusion or accidentally using another person’s mask.
• It can be helpful to label your mask to indicate top/bottom and front/back.
• Do not share or swap your mask with others, or touch a mask belonging to someone else.
• Your mask should be stored a clean place (for example, individually labeled container or sealed bag).
• A mask should not be worn if it is wet, damp or dirty.
• Cloth masks should be washed after every day of use and/or before being used again, or if visibly soiled.
• Wash your cloth mask by putting it directly into the washing machine, using a hot cycle, and then dry thoroughly.
• Discard disposable masks in a plastic lined garbage bin after use.
• Families should consider providing an additional mask for children in case a back-up mask is needed during the day and to facilitate every day washing of a cloth mask.

For more information, refer to Use of Non-Medical Masks or Face Coverings in Schools (PDF file) fact sheet.

When masks are not being worn while at school, masks should be stored in a clean bag or container between uses.

The best storage option is a labeled paper bag or envelope as these materials do not retain moisture which could allow bacteria to grow on the mask. Alternatively, use a labeled, cleanable container with a lid or a sealable plastic bag.

If a paper bag or envelope is used, discard at the end of each day. If a reusable container with a lid is used, clean and disinfect it at the end of each day. Lanyards and pockets are not recommended for mask storage.

Publicly-funded and private elementary and secondary schools in Halton region returned to in-person learning on February 8, 2021.

On February 8, Halton’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani, issued a letter to parents on the reopening of schools in Halton.

• Halton’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani - English letter (PDF file)
• Halton’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani- French letter (PDF file)

Halton Region Public Health will continue to provide support to schools in implementing appropriate infection prevention and control measures and with developing protocols for managing any probable or confirmed COVID-19 cases in students or staff.

To support safe in-person learning, Ontario has introduced new measures to continue to protect students and staff against COVID-19 in the classroom. These measures include:

• province-wide access, in consultation with the local PHU, to targeted asymptomatic testing for students and staff;
• mandatory masking requirement for students in Grades 1-3, and masking requirement for Grades 1-12 outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained;
• enhanced screening for secondary students and staff; and
• guidance discouraging students from congregating before and after school.

For updated guidance from the Province, please visit Ontario’s COVID-19: Reopening Schools webpage (external link).

• Visit halton.ca/COVID19 for COVID-19 health advice, learn about the current situation in Halton and more.
• Call 311 for other questions related to COVID-19.
• Follow Halton Region on social media, #HaltonON, and @haltonparents.