14 cases in one school, but no closure

No less than 14 employees are infected with COVID-19 in an elementary school in Joliette, but no class has been closed, the teachers’ union is indignant.

” [Vendredi] there were already 10 cases, and it was denounced that the school was still open. Today, there are 14 and Public Health has said it will only take stock this evening, ”says François Breault, president of the Lanaudière education union.

For the latter, Public Health has escaped since last week.

Because for a week, the number of positive cases has continued to increase at Les Mésanges de Joliette school, which has about 70 or 80 employees, he estimates. On October 9, a first case was declared. Less than 10 days later, 14 cases have been recorded. Staff have received a letter recommending that they go for testing, but the school remains open and no class has been placed in administrative segregation. Teachers who have no symptoms can continue working as if nothing had happened, he adds.

This decision would have been taken because no student would have been infected.

Concerns

“There are teachers who are excessively worried and anxious, because they have been in contact with those who have just received a result,” he observes.

“Would it have been so bad to tell the students to stay home today (Friday) while all the staff get tested?” He asks himself. There are no specific criteria to determine whether a class or a school should close since each case must be analyzed by Public Health, explained Dr.^r Horacio Arruda at a press briefing on Friday.

“There, it is sure that the parents will be super happy to have only a few hours to turn around, if Public Health decides to close the school this evening,” laments Mr. Breault.

– With Clara Loiseau