Urban Academy and Power Alternate Secondary are the latest New West schools to report COVID-19 exposures.
An April 19 notice on Fraser Health’s school exposures website states there was a COVID-19 exposure at Power Alternate Secondary on Monday, April 12. Located in Columbia Square Plaza, Power is an alternate school operated by the New Westminster school district.
Urban Academy, an independent school located in Sapperton, is reporting COVID-19 exposures on April 12, 13 and 14.
In addition, New Westminster Secondary School is reporting an April 9 exposure, but it hasn’t yet been posted on Fraser Health’s website. In an April 19 email to parents and caregivers, the school stated a member of the NWSS community who had attended the school on April 9 had tested positive for COVID-19.
École Glenbrook Middle School and Richard McBride Elementary School are still listed on Fraser Health’s website in connection to exposures at those schools on April 6, 7 and 8.
According to Fraser Health, an exposure is defined as single person with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period.
At an April 12 briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reiterated that keeping schools open remains a provincial priority.
"It is finding that balance of keeping things operating safely and making sure that we are supporting children as best we can,” she said. “The best thing we can do for this generation of children is to support their learning, their emotional and physical growth, in school.”
With files from Julie MacLellan
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