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COVID-19 case confirmed at Lindsay Thurber in Red Deer

Letters sent to parents, gurardians
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Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School in Red Deer. Photo courtesy RED DEER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

One person has tested positive for COVID-19 at Linsday Thurber Comprehensive High School in Red Deer.

Parents or guardians of students received a letter from principal Chris Good regarding the case Thursday.

“Alberta Health Services – Communicable Disease Control continues to investigate the origins of the case, but due to personal privacy and confidentiality, I am not able to share those details with the school community,” Good said in the letter.

“The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 became symptomatic on September 12, and has not been at school since September 11. The school received confirmation of the positive test from AHS in the afternoon on September 17. Individuals are considered infectious up to 48 hours before the onset of symptoms.”

Students who had close contact with the positive case will be allowed to stop isolating on Sept. 26 and can return to classes on Sept. 28.

Different versions of the letter were sent to parents or guardians of students who had close contact with the positive case, and parents or guardians of students who did not.

“While it is unfortunate to have our first case of COVID-19, our school and division recognized the potential for this to happen,” Good said.

“As part of our advance planning, we were prepared to respond to this situation and any others that may occur. Our school remains open to in-person learning, and we are working closely with Alberta Health Services to ensure necessary measures are in place to protect all students and staff.

“We remind parents/guardians of students, as well as any staff/visitors, to monitor for any signs of symptoms of COVID-19.”

AHS has initiated contact tracing and will advise anyone considered to have been in close contact. AHS will require those individuals to self-isolate – those students will be supported with at-home learning by the school, Good said.

“While this is a challenging time, it is important that we are resilient and work through this together. We will always follow direction from Alberta Health Services in the decisions we make.

“Parents play an important role in assuring their children that we are all looking out for their safety and wellness and will make the best decisions for them, together,” said Good.

This is the second school in Red Deer to report a COVID-19 case. Last week, Escuela Vista Grande sent a letter to parents and guardians to inform them of a case.



sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com

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Sean McIntosh

About the Author: Sean McIntosh

Sean joined the Red Deer Advocate team in the summer of 2017. Originally from Ontario, he worked in a small town of 2,000 in Saskatchewan for seven months before coming to Central Alberta.
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