School exposure notices on North Shore edge up again after May long weekend

After a distinct falling off of school COVID exposures during B.C.’s recent “circuit breaker” restrictions, North Shore schools have once more seen an uptick in virus exposures in the wake of the May long-weekend.

Over a dozen exposures have gone out to local families in the past three weeks, most of them for exposures between May 25 and June 1.

Most of the exposures have been for schools in North Vancouver and appear to mirror an increase in the number of new COVID-19 infections in North Vancouver over the past two weeks.

There were 83 cases on the North Shore for the week ending May 29, up from the 50 cases the previous week, the vast majority of those in North Vancouver.

Daily rates of infection have also crept up in North Vancouver in the past week.

The increases in case numbers have come despite vaccination rates in most parts of the North Shore running between 70 and 72 per cent for those 12 and older and between 72 and 79 per cent for adults 18 and over. Teenagers have recently become eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations are being encouraged to sign up for their shots.

In West Vancouver, Collingwood’s Morven campus has reported several recent exposures, although letters to parents stated the cases did not come from in-school transmissions. Exposures include cases in Grade 8 and 9 classes on May 21, 25, 31 and June 1.

West Vancouver Secondary has also reported exposures on May 25 and 27 in several Grade 10 classes including math 10, pre-calculus and marketing.

In North Vancouver, three high schools have reported exposures. A Grade 11 social studies and literary studies class was exposed May 25 at Argyle Secondary.

Grade 9 classes, including a math, English and science 9 class were exposed at Windsor Secondary on May 25 and 26.

Handsworth also reported exposures in Grade 9 English classes on May 19 and May 25.

At the elementary school level, a Grade 5/6 class was exposed at Canyon Heights Elementary on May 25, 26 and 27.

A Grade 4/5 class at Cove Cliff Elementary was exposed on May 20, 21 and 25 – 27.

A kindergarten class and Grade 3 class was exposed at Cleveland Elementary on May 25 and 26.

A Grade 6/7 class at Montroyal Elementary was exposed on May 19 and 26.

A notice was also issued to the families of children attending Kuddles Early Learning Centre of an exposure May 28 and 31.