9 North Shore schools post recent COVID-19 exposures

Nine North Shore schools have reported recent exposures to students or staff who have tested positive for COVID-19. Families of students at both North Vancouver and West Vancouver schools have received recent notices.

At Windsor Secondary two classes including a Grade 11/12 class and a Grade 12 were told to self-monitor after being potentially exposed to the virus Nov. 23, 25, 26 and 27.

Two Grade 12 classes at Handsworth were also informed of an exposure Nov. 26 and 27 and a Grade 11class at Seycove Secondary was informed of an exposure Nov. 20.

In the West Vancouver school district, a Grade 4 Div. 8 class at Irwin Park elementary was notified of an exposure Dec. 2 and a Grade 7 class at Westcot Elementary had a COVID-19 exposure Nov. 26 and 27. Ecole Pauline Johnson’s Grade 6/7 Div. 7 class was also notified of an exposure that happened Nov. 27.

Families with students at West Vancouver Secondary have also been notified of an exposure in Cohort 3, reportedly a Grade8/9 class.

Private schools on the North Shore also had several recent exposures. Collingwood parents received notices of several different exposures. Those included a Grade 4 and Grade 6 class at the Wentworth campus. Thirteen students were told to self-isolate by health officials. In a letter to parents, Collingwood administrators said those COVID-19 cases stemmed from activities in the community where students were exposed to the virus. Students in Grade 10 red cohort and Grade 12 purple cohort at Collingwood’s Morven campus also received notices of COVID-19 exposures. Students in a Grade 11 chemistry class at Collingwood’s Morven campus also received an exposure notice.

At Mulgrave School, administrators informed parents that two students at the elementary school had tested positive for the virus, although they weren’t believed to have been at the school when they were infectious.

Both cases were linked to exposure to COVID-19 outside of the school and the students were self-isolating.

A number of recent cases of COVID-19 in the Lower Mainland have been linked to recreation and sports activities according to the province’s top doctor.

On Monday, Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s medical health officer, announced she is tightening restrictions on those activities, including continuing the ban on high-intensity indoor group fitness activities and adding further restrictions on adult indoor sports as well as stepping back some allowable activities in children’s sports leagues.