COVID Updates
Do I Need to get tested?
Update On School Screening
The ever evolving story of COVID continues. Today the guidelines for kids and school changed and while the Ministry of Health is still in the process of updating their online screening app, here is a “brief” summary. Full PDF of the new screening guidelines is below.
- Children need to be screened every morning before school/daycare. This should also be considered by adults going into work.
- The symptoms should be NEW or, in the case of chronic conditions, WORSENING OR A CHANGE from their baseline.
If your child has ONE of the following (4) symptoms:
- fever greater than 37.8C and/or chills
- new cough (including croup) or worsening of the wheeze, increased requirements for puffers).
- decrease or loss of sense of smell or taste.
- nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- lethargy, muscle aches, just “not well”
*** MUST STAY HOME, SELF ISOLATE AND CONTACT YOUR HEALTH PROVIDER who will likely direct you for COVID-19 testing.
If your child has TWO of the following symptoms:
- sore throat
- runny nose or nasal congestion
- headache
- nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- lethargy, muscle aches, just “not well”
**MUST STAY HOME, SELF-ISOLATE AND CONTACT YOUR HEALTH PROVIDER who will likely direct you for COVID-19 testing.
If your child has ONE of the following symptoms:
- sore throat
- runny nose or nasal congestion
- headache
- nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- lethargy, muscle aches, just “not well”
***MUST STAY HOME for 24hrs from the onset of symptoms for observation.
If they begin to feel WELL and the symptom count remains at ONE, they may return to school before resolution of the symptom, provided they are well enough to do so.
If the symptom WORSENS or if other symptoms develop, they MUST STAY HOME, SELF-ISOLATE and contact your health provider who will likely direct you for COVID-19 testing.
If you/child need to stay home based on a positive screening tool, you will likely need to be tested for COVID-19 OR self-isolate for 14 days from the onset of the symptoms. It is your choice, LONG LINES or a LONG (2) weeks at home alone. We CAN NOT provide an ALTERNATIVE diagnosis to new COVID-like symptoms without a negative COVID test. We CAN NOT see you or your child in clinic if you have COVID-like symptoms without a negative COVID test. This is for the safety if all our patients and staff.
Our staff however are always happy to speak with you over the phone/video and help direct your care however we can. Stay tuned for another post on “When can my child go back to school if told to stay home?”.
