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First COVID-19 exposure reported at a Burnaby school

COVID-19 hit its first Burnaby school last week. Parents at Alpha Secondary School got notices from the Fraser Health Authority and Alpha principal Tim Wozney last night telling them someone with COVID-19 had been at the school on Sept.
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COVID-19 hit its first Burnaby school last week.

Parents at Alpha Secondary School got notices from the Fraser Health Authority and Alpha principal Tim Wozney last night telling them someone with COVID-19 had been at the school on Sept. 29 and 30 and on Oct. 1 and 2.

For privacy reasons, Wozney said the school couldn’t provide any more information about the infected individual except to say they were self-isolating at home with support from Fraser Health.

Wozney said the school is now working with the health authority to determine if any other members of the school community were in contact with the person while they were potentially infectious.

He said Fraser Health will determine if anyone in the school was a close contact and who needs to self-isolate.

Wozney noted only Fraser Health can determine who is a close contact.

“If you are contacted by the Fraser Health Authority, please follow their advice,” he wrote. “If you are not contacted by the Fraser Health Authority, it has been determined that your child is not at risk of developing COVID-19.”

Fraser Health has advised the school that students should continue to come to class while contract tracing is underway, according to Wozney, and he reminded parents to continue daily health checks to monitor their kids for illness.

“Please know that the health, safety and well-being of our students, families and staff remains our highest priority,” Wozney wrote. “Our school will continue to implement the strict protocols and procedures we have in place, so that students can continue to attend school as safely as possible.”

In addition to the school’s “vigilant cleaning,” the school has also initiated a “deep clean protocol,” according to the letter.

In an emailed statement to the NOW, school board chair Gary Wong said local parents should keep in mind that getting a COVID-19 exposure notification from Fraser Health “means the system is working.”

“They are on top of exposures,” Wong said of the health authority. “We wish the person who tested positive at Alpha a safe and speedy recovery. We encourage everyone in our school communities to continue to follow the personal protocols that help keep us all safe: wash your hands, wear a mask when required, and stay home when you are sick.”

School exposures are listed at the Fraser Health school exposures webpage here.

Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
Email cnaylor@burnabynow.com