January 28, 2022 -- The attached letter from the Director of Education will be sent to all school families today. It is in response to changes announced by the Government of Saskatchewan related to self-isolation and close-contact protocols.
Read the letter here and/or below.
January 28, 2022
Dear school families:
Since 2020, we have worked to create a school learning environment that minimizes risk for students, staff and visitors to all our schools and facilities. We have followed public health and government direction and added Regina Public Schools-specific requirements to our safety practices and protocols. At the same time, we have had to adapt as public health requirements and the course of COVID-19 in Regina and the province have changed.
Yesterday, the government of Saskatchewan announced a change to COVID-19 self-isolation and close contact protocols. You can read that document here: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2022/january/27/update-to-covid19-selfisolation-close-contact-protocols
The result of this announcement is that Regina Public Schools will no longer be collecting information regarding positive student COVID test results, nor will be identifying or informing possible close contacts. The school division will no longer report on cases of COVID and school families will not be asked to notify schools of a positive test. We would appreciate, however, that families honour the new self-isolation requirements and that students stay home if they are ill. As with any illness or absence, it is essential that it is reported to the school. Please continue to do so!
In accordance with the announcement, effective today, students who receive a positive test result on a PCR or rapid antigen test will be required to self-isolate for five days, regardless of vaccination status. This is a change for not fully vaccinated students from the previously required 10 days.
Further, students who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to self-isolate for five days from the date of test or 24 hours after fever has resolved without the aid of fever-reducing medications and all other symptoms have been improving for at least 48 hours, whichever is later.
Students currently on remote learning and self-isolating, and have no symptoms, may amend their self-isolation from 10 days to five days, as of noon, January 28. Information relating to changes about current remote learning classes will be sent out from schools.
Close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases will no longer be required to self-isolate, regardless of vaccination status.
Regina Public Schools will continue to require mask use in all its schools and buildings, will continue practice enhanced cleaning and encourage good hand washing hygiene. The school division reserves the right to move a class or a school to temporary remote learning if it is prudent to do so for health or operational reasons.
I know many of you have mixed feelings about this change in direction. In the past we have done everything within the reach of the school division to minimize health risk and disruption for learning and work for all school families. We will continue to do so while following the direction of Regina Public Health. I will also share important developments and information with you as it becomes available. Thank you for your understanding.
In learning and in health,
Greg Enion
Director of Education
