Runny nose, headaches removed from symptom screening list on daily Ontario school COVID-19 review
Posted August 30, 2021 1:12 pm.
Last Updated August 30, 2021 3:06 pm.
Ontario has trimmed down the COVID-19 symptoms that would require children to stay home from school or daycare, dropping runny noses and headaches from the list.
The province’s updated online screening tool lists five categories of symptoms “most commonly associated with COVID-19.” Those include fever and chills, cough or barking cough, shortness of breath, losing taste or smell, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
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Children reporting any of those symptoms are to stay home, isolate and seek COVID-19 testing.
A spokeswoman for the health minister confirmed a runny nose was removed from the daily screening but said anyone with symptoms of illness should stay home.
Some symptoms were also removed for people over age 18 taking the questionnaire. Removed symptoms for that age group include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, runny nose, sore throat, congestion, headache, stomach pain, pink eye and falling down often.
People can also attend school if an individual or someone in the household started experiencing mild virus symptoms like a headache, fatigue, muscle aches or joint pain within 48 hours of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Alexandra Hilkene says health units can give further advice on isolation requirements based on things like the local COVID-19 situation and whether an individual was in contact with a confirmed case.
The province’s top doctor indicated earlier this month that the screening list for schools and daycares was to be narrowed after hearing from parents about disruption created by associated testing, and finding fewer cases in those with mild symptoms.
“We did a lot of testing for very mild symptoms like runny nose and we found that we didn’t get a lot of positives at our population level,” Dr. Kieran Moore told an Aug. 3 news conference.
“The symptom list is smaller, so the requirement for testing should be fewer, and hopefully, a percentage of tests that are positive would be higher, so less impact on families, less need to go get tested.”
Screening guidelines for Ontario schools have been revised several times during the pandemic.
Virus testing sites reported long lines when schools opened last fall with strict screening requirements as the province saw a rise in cases.
Toronto Public Health also extended its program to keep children safe as they return to class, adding “in-person learning is essential for the mental and physical well-being of children.”
TPH recommended additional measures to reduce further the spread of COVID-19, including recommending junior and senior kindergarten students wear masks indoors and masking and practicing physical distancing in music classes, where the virus could spread more easily.
TPH says it’s also partnered with Ontario Health, SickKids Hospital and local hospital partners, including Women’s College Hospital and Michael Garron Hospital, to provide school testing support, including an expanded take-home test program.
“Our goal is to minimize the disruptions for this upcoming school year as in-person learning is vital to youth’s development,” said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa.
“If you have not gotten vaccinated yet, please go get your vaccine. Getting vaccinated is the best way to ensure our community stays safe and students can remain in school for in-person learning.”
As of August 26, the city says 81 per cent of residents between the ages of 12 to 17 years old have initiated their vaccination, with 70 per cent having received both doses.
