Dear Parents,
Are you travelling outside of the country over the Christmas holidays? As we get closer to December, some families might be considering international travel over the break. If you are planning a trip, please remember that the current regulations are that unvaccinated children under 12 years of age are required to self-isolate for two weeks after returning to the country. The regulations are as follows:
The opening of the U.S./Canada border and the upcoming Winter Break may have families considering international travel. Families should be aware of the federal travel guidance around COVID-19, especially the restriction in attending school for unvaccinated students for 14 days following the international travel, including travel to the U.S. Unvaccinated students ages 12-17 are required to follow all quarantine requirements. Unvaccinated students under the age of 12 who are accompanied by someone who qualifies for the fully vaccinated traveler exemption are not required to quarantine, however, these students have the following restrictions:
For the next 14 days after returning to the country, unvaccinated children under 12 must:
- not attend school, camp or daycare
- not attend large or crowded settings, indoors or outdoors, such as an amusement park or sporting event
- not take buses, subways, trains or other crowded transportation
- not attend a setting where they may have contact with vulnerable people (e.g. long term care facility)
- stay in a place that allows the child to avoid all contact with any person that:
- has an underlying medical condition that makes the person susceptible to complications related to COVID-19
- has a compromised immune system from a medical condition or treatment; or is 65 years of age or older
- limit contact with others: remain with their fully vaccinated parent or guardian, as much as possible
- wear a mask and physically distance when in contact with non-household members
There is no allowance for unvaccinated students to return to school within 14 days following international travel, regardless of who they travel with or if they receive a negative PCR test result.
Finally, international travel would most likely mean missing days of school after we return in January. Please be advised that teachers will not be providing work or online instruction to students who miss school for this reason. Thank you.
Yours in faith,
Maureen Moorehead
Principal