Interior Health is behind, inconsistent on posting COVID exposures in schools | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kamloops News

Interior Health is behind, inconsistent on posting COVID exposures in schools

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When COVID-19 gets into schools within the Interior Health region, parents get letters from the schools and, if their child may have had contact with the carrier, they will get a call from Interior Health telling them what, if any actions they should take.

But don’t bother going to Interior Health’s School Exposures web site to get timely information on what schools are impacted.

A parent of a child at Westsyde Elementary School in Kamloops emailed a copy of a letter received on April 9 from the school telling them a member of the school community tested positive for COVID on April 6.

They also got a call telling them the child should self-isolate until the end of the day April 20.

Their concern was the fact that Westsyde Elementary School was not listed on the Interior Health web page.

As of 9:55 a.m. today, April 15, that school was still not listed on Interior Health’s web page.

iNFOnews.ca asked Interior Health why Westsyde Elementary School is not listed, how many other schools are not listed, and why not.

“The website postings are separate from public health follow-up and there may be a minor delay before it is added to this page,” was the emailed response from Interior Health. “Any direct contacts to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be notified directly. Students who are not contacted directly about a possible exposure can continue to attend school.

“As you can see, the system is working with the person in question getting the letter.”

The email, sent at 8:58 a.m., included a link to the web page, which did not include Westsyde Elementary School.

The email did not say how many other schools are not on the list.

A check of the web site shortly after 10 a.m. showed it had been updated to include Westsyde Elementary School, nine days after the actual positive COVID test.

The website can be viewed here.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 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.

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