The first known school-identified case of COVID-19 in Pelham is being reported at Glynn A. Green Public School, in Fonthill.
Concerned parents contacted the Voice Thursday evening, forwarding an email sent to them by school principal Todd Halliday. A DSBN spokesperson confirmed the diagnosis to the Voice while simultaneously issuing a public statement.
“Niagara Region Public Health (NRPH) has advised the DSBN that one individual at Glynn A Green Public School has tested positive for COVID-19,” read the statement. “For privacy reasons, the identity of the individual will not be shared.”
The DSBN’s COVID-19 Public Advisory web page lists the school as having closed one classroom.
“As part of COVID-19 case management and infection control protocol, students and staff who had close contact with the individual are being contacted and told by NRPH to stay home and self-isolate,” continued the statement.
In his email to parents, Halliday said that no news is good news.
“NRPH is currently assessing the situation, and if your child is required to self-isolate, NRPH will contact you directly today,” Halliday wrote. “If you have not been contacted by NRPH, your child does not need to self-isolate and can come to school as usual.”
Halliday said that the school will be cleaned overnight.
“I want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to make sure Glynn A Green is a safe learning environment. We will continue to work collaboratively with NRPH to ensure our school meets all the enhanced health and safety protocols. Facility Services is completing a thorough cleaning of the school tonight and we will continue with our preventative practices, such as wearing PPE, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and daily health screening.”
In its statement, the DSBN said that a Public Health inspector and a Public Health nurse from NRPH will visit the school to complete a comprehensive assessment, though when wasn’t specified.
“The preventative COVID-19 practices that Glynn A Green Public School has been following since the beginning of school, such as wearing PPE, physical distancing, maintaining hand hygiene, and doing the daily health screening, will continue.”
This brings to 21 the number of COVID-19 positives across DSBN schools since the fall semester started.
