Parents laud Surrey schools, Fraser Health for sharing COVID-19 school exposures

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – B.C.’s hardest hit health authority and school district are being lauded by parents and community members for their response to COVID-19 exposure events in schools.

So far, Surrey schools have recorded 18 COVID-19 exposures at 15 schools, according to the Fraser Health Authority website, while other regions are clamouring for information.

Surrey school district superintendent Jordan Tinney said, in reporting exposures, he’s just doing what is best for his community and is uncomfortable with comparisons to other regions.

From the start, he said Fraser Health has asked how he wanted to proceed with getting the information out. Tinney offered to get as much information out as soon as possible.

“For us, in discussion with Fraser Health, any time there is a case linked to a school, we will go public,” he said.

“I remember had one on a Friday and they said, ‘Well, you could send the letter out on Friday night.’ And I said, ‘We’re not sending the letter out Sunday night — it will be all over social media by then. Let’s get the letter out.’ And they’re like, ‘OK, good, we can get that letter to you in an hour,’ and it was done.”

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Tinney added school communities are nervous and need the most information he can give.

“We’re seeing repeat notices and we are also clear whether those cases are linked or not,” he said.

If a school member with COVID-19 walks into a building, then right back out, the Surrey district — the largest in the province with almost 74,000 students — will let everyone know.

That is in stark contrast to the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, which, as of Thursday morning, had listed just two school exposures.

Two more in @Fraserhealth
1 more in Surrey from Superintendent @jordantinney
1 more on the FH website in Coquitlam – Riverside
40 schools with potential exposures#bcpoli #covid19 @NEWS1130 #bced https://t.co/9fCggyKKLU pic.twitter.com/9lVC7FfNOe

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 24, 2020

Vancouver Coastal Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Patricia Daly has said public notices will happen only if an entire class must be informed.

Vancouver Coastal has also said other notices about exposures from schools have to be confirmed.

“VCH Public Health teams actively monitor and trace cases of COVID-19 in schools on a 24/7 basis,” says a release from Daly and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Thursday.

“Our immediate priority for every known case is to identify people who have been their close contacts during the infectious period, to notify these contacts and then to ensure that all contacts are following the appropriate public health directions for self-isolation,” they add.

“Whether in schools or other settings, VCH notifies all contacts of cases exposed to COVID-19 in the most direct manner possible.”

That the most effective contact tracing practice, they say.

PHO Dr Henry stmt on @VCHhealthcare‘s approach to notifications of #covid19 exposures at schools.
It says notices will be public but there are still only 2 on VCH website when at least 8 schools in the authority have sent notice letters to families#bcpoli #bced @news1130 pic.twitter.com/BHJrzJnkCn

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 24, 2020

“It allows public health to provide clear direction to those contacts while respecting patient confidentiality, which is important for the effective management of the pandemic.”

When exposures occur in classrooms or cohorts in school settings, VCH works with administrators to send an email and letter to notify staff, students, and parents.

“VCH Public Health will follow-up directly with all contacts who receive a notification in order to provide further public health advice,” health officials say.

“All notifications to school administrators – including school exposure and outbreaks – are posted to the VCH school exposure webpage.”

The Vancouver school district has about 50,000 students.

Top doctor in @VCHhealthcare telling me yesterday contact tracing is immediate, close contacts informed.
But VCH has a narrow approach to *public* notifications of potential #covid19 exposure events at schools in her region – explained here.#bcpoli #bced #covid19 @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/ePMDgMGiAA

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 24, 2020

The B.C. teacher’s union is concerned about inconsistent reporting of COVID-19 exposures in schools and a lack of transparency from some health regions.

To date, 40 schools in B.C. have had COVID-19 exposures.