After her son spent a week off of school due to runny nose and cough symptoms, Newmarket parent Claire Latour said she is relieved York Region is changing its COVID-19 screening policy.
The local public health unit is switching to the provincial screening tool as of today, Oct. 18, after using its own tool since the start of the school year. With the change, the region is removing runny nose and sore throat from the formal screening process, which the provincial tool does not include.
The province excluded the symptom in its updated screening tool Aug. 26, but York Region Public Health initially reinstated it for local screening Sept. 1.
Latour said with her son having an ear condition that can often lead to runny noses, she is glad about not having to pull him from school for days at a time.
“It’s going to be nice that kids can actually go back to in-class learning,” she said.
However, the region is still asking that kids be kept home from school or daycare for less common COVID-19 symptoms excluded from screening, including runny nose, sore throat, abdominal pain and headaches. But rather than require a negative COVID-19 test or 10-day isolation to return, students can return to school once "symptoms are improving for 24 hours.”
“The change in screening tool will provide York Region parents and guardians with more options to screen, share results electronically and the ability to complete screening in multiple languages,” the region said in a news release.
The provincial screening tool includes fever, chills, cough, nausea and loss of the sense of smell as symptoms that require COVID-19 testing. If a child has none of these symptoms, the tool will indicate they can attend class, but states they should still stay home if they feel unwell with other symptoms.
Parent Alexandra Gordea said after having her child pulled from class due to a runny nose this fall, with a confirmed negative COVID-19 test afterward, she is happy about the change. She and other parents expressed concerns about how strenuous nasal swab tests could be for their young children.
“It didn’t make sense how York Region was the only region in the area that should you have a runny nose you have to run out and get tested,” she said. “It’s traumatic for the child. There’s no point.”
York Region is also addressing the nasal swab issue with the opening of two new drop-in clinics for students, staff, essential visitors and their families that will offer saliva tests over nasal swabs for those who can produce enough saliva. A clinic at George Street Public School is currently running Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 7 p.m. A clinic will open Oct. 19 at St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic High School in Vaughan on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 7 p.m.
“It’s such a good alternative,” Gordea said.
Latour said it makes a huge difference for her son to attend class, and there is only so much a parent can do to keep their kids COVID-19 safe. She said catching a cold and other bugs are common in classrooms.
“Being in the same room, kids will get sick. That’s what kids do. It’s the way of them getting their immune system,” she said. “I’ve told my kids a million times to make sure you’re wearing masks, make sure you’re washing the hands.”
The list of school screening protocols is available at york.ca/safeatschool.
