CALGARY (660 NEWS) – After months of pressure coming from school advocacy groups and parents, Alberta has decided to reinstate contact tracing in schools.
“We have always maintained that our first priority is the safety and security of our students and staff and that will always be our number one priority,” said Adriana LaGrange, Education Minister.
“We started the year with very strong protocols. [In] mid-September, when there was a state of emergency, we added additional masking for grades four and up and all staff. We have also implemented cohorting for K-6 schools.”
Contact tracing will begin in a "phased approach" around Alberta, and begins after Thanksgiving (Oct. 12). AHS will work closely with the schools, and notify close contacts.
— Tom Ross (@Tommy_Slick) October 5, 2021
Parents will soon be able to have a better idea if their child has been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case in school, but it won’t be taking effect right away. The province expects contact tracing will be back up and running in about four to six weeks.
“It’s not that easy to just flick a switch and start contract tracing again. We are going to have contact notification starting next week,” said LaGrange.
More staff will need to be hired before complete tracing actives can resume.
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Rapid testing will also be offered in K-6 classes in schools that experience outbreaks to start.
“We will continue to monitor very, very closely and if additional measures are required, we will absolutely do that,” LaGrange said.
“Right now, we have nine schools that have transitioned to online learning for operational reasons,” she added.
On rapid test kids, there will be a targeted program for K-6 students in schools experiencing outbreaks, will help them detect more cases as the kids are not eligible for vaccinations. Tests are free if they want to take part. Parents will have to get the kits from the school.
— Tom Ross (@Tommy_Slick) October 5, 2021
The free kits will need to be picked up at the schools.
The return of contact tracing comes as Alberta continues to struggle with increasing COVID-19 case loads.
Contact tracing had been taking place in schools last semester. However, as part of changes when restrictions were loosened this summer, those measures were scaled back in classrooms.
