March 12th, 2020
The safety, health and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority. We appreciate that parents and caregivers may have questions about the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the upcoming March Break, considering some of our families and staff may be embarking on international trips.
The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is actively involved in communication with Region of Waterloo Public Health and with the Office of the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health. While we have seen in the news that the province of New Brunswick has instituted measures to bar students, families and staff who have travelled internationally for two weeks from their schools, at this time this is not the case in Ontario. We take guidance on health matters from our federal, provincial and local health authorities, including our local partners.
Parents are asked to check the Region of Waterloo Public Health Novel Coronavirus website for information on the virus, regular updates, and other tips and resources on how to best prevent the spread of germs. Please also refer to this recent Letter from the Medical Officer of Health.
Parents wanting to stay informed can also monitor the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 website, which will be updated daily at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET.
Travelling advice
Families and staff who are travelling overseas for personal travel are encouraged to regularly monitor the Government of Canada Travel Advisories. Please note impacted areas may change and expand as the situation continues to evolve. All travellers are advised to monitor their health for respiratory symptoms (fever, cough, and difficulty breathing) for 14 days after returning from travel. If respiratory symptoms develop, contact Public Health at 519-575-4400. Continue to monitor Region of Waterloo Public Health’s site for local information.
It will take a collective effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19. We remain committed to monitoring this situation and keeping you informed.
Visit the WRDSB COVID-19 Information page for additional information.
Avoid misinformation
The Government of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Health and Region of Waterloo Public Health continue to provide up-to-date and evidence-based information on their websites so that you have the information you need to make informed decisions about your health. As this is an evolving situation, we continue to remind people of the importance of using credible sources to stay informed, and encourage others to do the same.
The Ministry of Health has developed an information sheet about the COVID-19 to inform Ontarians about the virus, how they can protect themselves and what to do if they think they have contracted COVID-19. The information sheet is available in multiple languages.