M.V. Beattie Elementary School in Enderby is seen in this undated screenshot from Google Street View.
Image Credit: GOOGLE STREET VIEW
November 15, 2021 - 10:43 AM
An Enderby elementary school has closed for the week following a COVID-19 outbreak.
M.V. Beattie Elementary School closed its doors today, Nov. 15, and it will remain closed through to Nov. 19.
School District 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap) posted the announcement to its website advising the order is from the Interior Health Authority.
The school district doesn't specify how many COVID exposures there have been at the school.
"On Monday, staff will be given the opportunity to prepare, with students moving to learning from home on Tuesday," states the school district website.
There have also been exposures earlier in November at other School District 83 schools, including, A.L. Fortune Secondary in Enderby, Len Wood Middle School in Armstrong, Carlin Elementary Middle School in Tappen and Highland Park Elementary in Armstrong.
The Enderby Local Health Area has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the province with only 72 per cent of individuals over the age of 12 having had one dose. The provincial average is 90.6 per cent, as of Nov. 12.
Currently, the Enderby Local Health Area is the fourth-lowest of B.C.’s 87 Local Health Areas for vaccination rates. The others are Peace River South at 68 per cent, Fort Nelson at 70 per cent, and Peace River North at 71 per cent.
Separately, on Nov. 4 Vernon Christian School and King’s Christian School in Salmon were ordered closed due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
"When there is an exposure, Interior Health will directly notify confirmed close contacts of the positive case with further instructions, including if they should self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms of illness," the school district's website says.
"If you are contacted by Interior Health, or receive a self-isolation/self-monitor letter, it is imperative that you follow their direction carefully. The most important thing for students and families to remember is that students who have any symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home and get tested."
To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2021