Toronto, Peel announces major changes to COVID-19 screening for students

Public health units in both Toronto and Peel have updated their screening guidelines when it comes to COVID-19 in students, laying out increasingly strict protocols for when parents need to keep their children home from school.

On Friday, Toronto Public Health sent out a release stating that “if a student has even one COVID-19 symptom, they must stay home, self-isolate and get tested.”

TPH also recommended that if they live with siblings in the same household, they must all self-isolate.

Recent outbreaks and asymptomatic testing shows that we need to do more to stop the spread of COVID in our schools,” Coun. Joe Cressy said in a tweet.

“That’s why Toronto Public Health, in partnership with our local school boards, has enhanced the School Screening Tool for parents and families.”

TPH said even mild symptoms, such as runny noses or headaches in kids, will require a COVID-19 test.

The updated guidelines are as follows: if a child has one or more new, or worsening COVID-19 symptoms, parents will now be required to:

• Keep their child home.
• Keep siblings and other children home, even if they do not have symptoms.
• Arrange for the child to get tested or contact their healthcare provider.
• Without testing, the child must stay at home for 10 days.
• Monitor the family for symptoms. Adults must stay home if they have one or more symptoms.

This comes after Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Eileen de Villa issued a letter of recommendation on Thursday following a significant COVID-19 outbreak at Thorncliffe Park Public School.

“Keeping schools open for in-person learning is important for kids’ development and mental health. It’s also a key equity measure, as not all families are able to do virtual learning,” Cressy added.

“That’s why we need to do everything we can to keep our schools safe and limit potential exposure.”

The school screening tool was designed to help parents and guardians know when it might be best to get children tested for the virus.

Peel Public Health issued similar updated guidelines, noting that without a COVID-19 test “your child must isolate for 10 days after their symptom(s) started.”

Children will not be able to return to school or child care until they have returned a negative test or a health care provider has identified another reason for their symptoms or 14 days have passed since the last exposure to another child who was not tested.