Island Health says a recent spike of cases linked to schools in the region is a reflection of the greater community as a whole. (File)

By Alex Rawnsley

SCHOOL TRANSMISSION

Nanaimo school COVID-19 case surge seen as reflection of community hotspot status

Feb 6, 2021 | 7:53 AM

NANAIMO — Local health officials and school staff are becoming well-versed in COVID-19 protocols after a second round of cluster events in the last week.

School District 68 confirmed multiple COVID-19 cases throughout the first few days of February, including new positive tests at five Nanaimo schools on Thursday, Feb. 4.

Dr. Sandra Allison, central Island medical health officer, told NanaimoNewsNOW the nature of the cases meant some were declared cluster sites.

“With increased cases we are seeing what might appear to be transmission in schools and so with an abundance of caution I respond in that manner and ensure we’re able to work with the school.”

Island Health defines a cluster as “two or more confirmed cases within a 14-day period, with evidence of transmission occurring within the school.” An exposure is when somebody confirmed to have the virus attends school during an infectious period.

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As of Friday, Feb. 5, three Nanaimo schools were listed as COVID-19 clusters including Bayview elementary, Rock City elementary and Qwam Qwum Stuwixwulh school on Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Since classes resumed in September, 13 exposures were attributed to schools in Nanaimo, six were later upgraded to clusters.

Allison said the current situation with Nanaimo schools is a reflection of what’s occurring in the greater Nanaimo community.

The region is considered a hotspot on Vancouver Island and continues to pace many new infection numbers in the central Island region.

Cases in the central Island Region continue to centre around two hotspots, South Cowichan and Greater Nanaimo, throughout January. (Island Health)

“I believe all the activity we’re seeing in greater Nanaimo is related to Christmas. We’re human, we want to socialize and we want to have some normalcy including enjoying some Christmas time together, that is almost entirely the driver for what we’re seeing now.”

Dr. Allison said considerable work is done in the time a person becomes symptomatic and gets tested, to when notifications become public.

Contact tracers must identify where the affected person was, who came in prolonged close contact with them and then reach out to each of those people.

COVID-19 carriers can be infectious for up to 10 days before building up sufficient immunity and no longer considered able to transmit the virus.

Dale Burgos, SD68 communications manager, said district staff work in concert with Island Health to quickly identify close contacts after a positive test is reported.

“Who was in the classroom, who was working that day, all of that information needs to be hashed out before we can move to the next step which is essentially working on getting information out to the affected people.”

Once affected individuals are notified, a general notice from the school district is made public, typically in the late evening.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said data from across B.C. confirmed school aged children are less likely to have complications or even contract COVID-19.

“School aged children are under represented, less than 10 per cent of cases overall and we see a decrease in cases once school is starting and reflecting really transmission in the community.”

The province updated its mask requirement of students across the province on Thursday, Feb. 4 to add more areas where a face coverings are required.

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alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley