Image from facebook.com/RosemarySchool

By Chris Brown

AHS identifying close contacts

COVID-19 outbreak declared at Rosemary School

Oct 30, 2020 | 9:31 AM

Grasslands Public Schools has announced a COVID-19 outbreak at a school north of Brooks.

A statement from Alberta Health Services and posted on the school division’s website alerts parents and guardians, students, staff and visitors an outbreak has been declared at Rosemary School in Rosemary.

AHS defines a COVID-19 outbreak within a school setting as two or more confirmed cases occur in a school with a 14-day period.

The statement from AHS says the risk of the general population in the school becoming infected because of these cases is low. If staff or students have been identified as a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, Public Health will contact them for follow-up.

It also asks staff or students who have not been identified as a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case but develop symptoms as listed on the daily screening tool, please self-isolate at home and complete the online assessment tool or call Health Link at 811 as soon as possible to arrange for COVID-19 testing.

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Rosemary is located about 35 kilometres northwest of Brooks, which was a hotpsot for the virus earlier this year. The city had more than 1,000 active cases in the spring. There are 24 active cases in Brooks as of Thursday’s online update and eight in the surrounding County of Newell.

This week Eastbrook Elementary School in Brooks, Brooks Junior High School and Brooks Composite High School issued alerts for COVID-19 cases in those schools. The Brooks Campus of Medicine Hat College also issued an alert about a case connected to the campus this week.

The AHS statement on Rosemary School recommends the following to help minimize spread of any respiratory virus:

• Make sure everyone in your household washes their hands with soap and water often. If soap and water are not available, you can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if hands are not visibly dirty.
• Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
• Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw it in a garbage bin lined with a plastic bag. Wash your hands immediately after that. If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve.
• Stay home if you’re sick. If your kids are sick, keep them home from school.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are used often and shared by everyone in your home such as door knobs, light switches and bathroom taps.
• Practice physical distancing outside the home (at least 2 metres) and wear a mask in public spaces if social distancing is not possible.
• Ensure your child’s immunizations are up to date, including their annual influenza immunization.