Toronto Public Health continues to support schools to reduce COVID-19 spread and issues first whole-school dismissal

Toronto Public Health (TPH) continues to work with local schools to limit opportunities for COVID-19 spread. As part of this effort, following a careful and detailed investigation, newly reported cases over the weekend, and potential exposures at multi-grade events, TPH has dismissed all students from in-person classes and activities at Silverthorn Collegiate Institute to protect students, staff and administration. –

TPH continues to investigate this COVID-19 outbreak, including following-up with close contacts, providing guidance, and recommending whole-school testing. TPH is also encouraging vaccination for the entire school community including family members of students, if they have not already been fully vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

TPH continues to closely monitor all COVID-19 activity in schools and take action as needed to protect students and staff. As of October 8, there were 21 active school outbreaks and 30 active investigations in 122 school settings. TPH will declare an outbreak if there are two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases linked within school settings in 14 days. This means that there is at least one case that could have reasonably acquired their infection in school, which includes transportation, extracurricular activities and before and after school care.

COVID-19 activity in the school setting is not unexpected, given that the virus continues to circulate in Toronto and how transmissible Delta variant is. This is why TPH continues to remind all residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible, if they have not already done so. As we learn to live with COVID-19, the vaccine is the best protection against serious illness, hospitalization, intubation and death. Getting the vaccine will also protect residents who are currently not able to get vaccinated, such as those who may be immunocompromised and children under 12 years old.

Active school outbreaks are posted on TPH’s Active Outbreaks dashboard under the “Schools” tab: www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-pandemic-data/covid-19-active-outbreaks-data/. The dashboard is updated five times per week, from Monday to Friday, except on statutory holidays. TPH will also share school cohort dismissal and outbreaks via Twitter at 5 p.m., from Monday to Friday.

Source City of Toronto