Dr. Robert Strang says individual parents and teachers can choose to share their own COVID status but schools will not distribute that information to protect the privacy of the people involved.

Strang says the omicron variant is so widespread that there is little value in providing contract tracing and everyone should act as if they could be infected at any time.

“The message for everybody is get vaccinated, follow all the personal protective measures, especially and if you’re sick with new cold and flu-like symptoms stay home,” said Strang. “That message doesn’t change just because somebody has been a close contact.”

Parents groups are concerned school principals are forbidden to release information about COVID cases in classrooms even if parents consent.

At Wednesday’s COVID briefing Strang said there is no gag order preventing principals from sharing that information but follow up correspondence with the South Shore Regional Centre for Education, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the Department of Health and Wellness all confirm parents, students and staff can self-report cases but school administration are not permitted to release that information citing privacy concerns.

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