Why aren’t teachers interviewed as part of the contact tracing process, if there is an exposure in their class? Results of the #bced informal poll below: (THREAD) 1/

@JM_Whiteside @adriandix @jjhorgan @Fraserhealth @VCHhealthcare @Interior_Health @Northern_Health

Teachers have insight for tracers:
- seating plans
- desk distance (some class sizes = less than 1m apart)
- friends @ recess/lunch play
- who wears masks, who doesn’t, how well
- specialists (music, library, LST, EAs)
- vent of rm
- snack/lunch scenario (indoors, masks off)
2/

#bced teachers also manage privacy situations re: students & families all the time. There is a lot that we keep private already.

Shouldn’t we be partners to help reduce risk, now that UK SAGE, Montreal, and now Austria confirm that schools can be drivers of the pandemic? 3/

Are teachers interviewed in contact tracing process? Quick informal #bced poll:
@VCHhealthcare: Yes-4, No-18
@FraserHealth: Yes-1, No-43
@Interior_Health: Yes-0, No-3
@Northern_Health: Yes-0, No-3
District not identified: Yes-0, No-14

That’s over 90% not interviewed.
4/

Contact tracing stories from #bced are shocking.
@Fraserhealth @VCHhealthcare @Interior_Health @Northern_Health

Teachers only find out if parents/high school students disclose.

Multiple cases in class, yet no call to ask if they could be connected.

5/

#bced support teachers only finding out that they worked with a +ve student when the classroom teacher lets them know. Some working closely with +ve child in one-on-one or small group sessions. Some don't get an exposure letter. Again, no phone call from contact tracers.
6/

#bced Contact tracers interviewing young children only about class details. Parents can't say much as they aren't allowed in building.

Kindergarten children who need regular comforting +ve but teachers who children were hugging all day not contacted.
7/

#bced Parents helping schools by letting them know when their child has tested +ve. High school students also helping by letting school know of +ve result.

Parents livid that only young child, not teacher, is interviewed. Some contact tracers annoyed that parent told school. 8/

Multiple exposure events in #bced school, zero teachers contacted in multiple classes. This is a common occurrence.

School staff testing +ve a few days after exposure events in class; told must’ve gotten it while shopping.
#covid19bc
9/

Some positive #COVID19 cases in #bced classes never even got an exposure letter sent about it.

Other cases, even the positive students/staff themselves were never called by contact tracers!
/10

Conclusion: #bced contact tracing is a mess. Trusting teachers to help via interviewing to get the entire picture of the classroom is vital. #newvariant is coming; shouldn’t @CDCofBC improve the process?

Beating #COVID19 should be a community process; no stigma together!
11/END

Add on: the #bced poll regarding contact tracing procedures for schools is below. Posted question on Facebook too. Got lots of responses, via Twitter, FB & private messages.

Q was asked as a response to @VCHhealthcare claim that teachers interviewed.

https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1350868481848143873?s=21 https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1350868481848143873