UPDATE: KFLA Public Health orders closure of Land O’Lakes Public School

Update (Wednesday, Mar. 24, 2021):

Land O’Lakes Public School will remain closed until Tuesday, Apr. 6, 2021 and students will continue with remote learning until Thursday, Apr. 1, 2021, however, according to a release from Limestone District School Board (LDSB), KFL&A Public Health has released some individuals from isolation.

Students in the Grade 5/6 class cohort and staff who were previously identified as high-risk contacts, are required to continue to isolate until midnight on Friday, Mar. 26, 2021. LDSB and KFL&A Public Health asks Household contacts of these students and staff (parents, siblings and others who live in the same house as the student or staff member) to remain vigilant and only go out for essential reasons.

All other students, staff, and families of Land O’ Lakes Public School and Bus 583 are no longer required to isolate, according to the release. Families and all household contacts of these students and staff are also asked to remain vigilant and only go out for essential reasons.

KFL&A Public Health reminds everyone that essential reasons include work, school (if student(s) attends a school other than Land O’Lakes) and child care. If anyone in the home develops symptoms, they need to get tested, all household contacts must isolate until the symptomatic person receives a negative test result.

Original Article:

A second student at Land O’Lakes Public School has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the current number of positive cases at the school to three and prompting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore to direct that the entire school be closed for two weeks to help control further spread. According to the Limestone District School Board, the school will remain closed until Tuesday, Apr. 6, 2021. Students will shift to remote learning on Monday, Mar. 22, 2021.

All students who attend Land O’Lakes Public School, all riders of Bus 583, and all staff who worked at Land O’Lakes Public School any time from Mar. 8 to Mar. 19, 2021 and their household contacts must self-isolate until they hear otherwise, said LDSB in a public release. “This includes all families of staff and students who are already isolating. Families will receive more information in the coming days with additional public health guidance,” the release said.

The first COVID-19 case at Land O’Lakes Public School was identified in a staff member on Mar. 15, 2021, and KFL&A Public Health declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at the school following the identification of a second positive case on Mar. 16, 2021.

As per provincial Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education guidance, an outbreak is declared in a school once it has been determined that two individuals have tested positive with an epidemiological link (e.g., these students/staff could have become infected with COVID-19 at school, either from each other or a common source).

Citing privacy, the board said it will not identify individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.

“The school and board are working with KFL&A Public Health to identify cohorts of students, staff and others who may have been in close contact with the COVID-19 positive people at school. Not all students or staff will be affected by a positive case,” said the release. “KFL&A Public Health, the school and board are taking all necessary steps to prevent further spread of the virus both in the school and the community. As always, the health and safety of students, staff and the school community remain our priority.”