January 27, 2022

To all Parents, Staff, and Students,

Re: Update to COVID-19 Self-Isolation and Close Contact Protocols

Today the Government of Saskatchewan announced changes to Public Health Orders on required isolation for close contacts and other updates impacting staff and students.

Close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases will no longer be required to self-isolate if there are no COVID-19 symptoms (asymptomatic).

  • If you are currently self-isolating for ten days because you are an unvaccinated confirmed case or a close contact of a case, you will be able to amend your self-isolation period effective noon on January 28, if asymptomatic. 
  • If you are in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, you should self-monitor for symptoms and continue using publicly available rapid antigen tests for asymptomatic surveillance. It is recommended that you monitor for symptoms for ten days and self-test on day 1, day 3, and day 5.

All people who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate and follow Public Health Orders to isolate.

  • Effective this Friday, January 28, residents 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.
  • You are required to self-isolate for five days from the date of the test or 24 hours after the 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.

Other Public Health Orders remain in effect, such as mandatory masking in all indoor public spaces, including schools and on school busses; compulsory self-isolation of all confirmed cases; and proof of vaccination or negative test requirements are in place for public access, for school staff and designated school events. 

Parents and caregivers are no longer required to notify schools about positive test results for close contact notification. Those who test positive are required to self-isolate and cannot attend school and activities for the duration of the isolation period. As a result, school exposure notifications of positive cases will no longer occur. All staff and students will maintain masking, hand hygiene, distancing, and monitoring for COVID-19.

Everyone should be self-monitoring, self-testing, and self-managing to help prevent transmission, given the transmissibility of the Omicron variant.

If you are experiencing symptoms such as cough, sore throat, or fever, it is recommended that you stay home.  Free rapid antigen tests are available at more than 600 locations around the province, including from your school, at this time. If you are experiencing significant or worsening cold or flu-like symptoms including fever or are considered at-risk due to chronic/underlying health conditions, contact HealthLine 811, who will advise if you should receive a PCR test or if you are a candidate for available treatments. PCR testing remains available to healthcare workers and eligible at-risk groups.   The public health orders, when available, will be updated at saskatchewan.ca/covid-19.

Complete updated information Released on January 27, 2022, by the Government of Saskatchewan can be found on the Saskatchewan.ca website at Update to COVID-19 Self-Isolation, Close Contact Protocols | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.

Thank you and take care.

Respectfully,

L. Trumier
Director of Education