By Pete McIntyre

Student trips cancelled in School District 22

Mar 13, 2020 | 5:04 AM

The Vernon School District has decided to cancel all future international school trips scheduled over Spring Break after considering the latest information on the coronavirus outbreak.

A trip to Banff for some international students was also cancelled.

District 22 earlier had been allowing some trips over the two-week break, but that was before B.C. Health officials announced Thursday a recommendation against all non-essential travel outside of Canada.

Anyone who travels abroad will be asked to stay home from work or school for 14 days upon their return to the province.

“We will do our best to ensure that support or materials will be provided to students and families should they end up in this situation,” Maritza Reilly, communications coordinator with School District 22, said.

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The school district advises travelling families, whether outside of Canada or within the country, to monitor their health while travelling, and after their return.

“If you have been to areas, particularly where we know there has been transmission of COVID-19, and have any cold or influenza symptoms, even if they’re mild, stay away from others, and call your health care provider, 8-1-1, or Interior Health,” a district news release said. “Always tell health care providers about recent travel if you become ill after returning to Canada.”

To assist in preventing and controlling respiratory viruses, the district offers the following guidelines:

The first way is for people who are ill with respiratory illness symptoms (fever, cough, fatigue, and/or muscle aches) to follow usual practices for taking sick leave.
The second way to prevent and control respiratory viruses is the consistent practice of good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene. Good respiratory etiquette includes covering the mouth and nose during coughing or sneezing with a tissue or a flexed elbow and disposing of used tissues in a plastic-lined waste container, followed by hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is the washing of hands with plain soap and water, which is effective at removing visible soil as well as viruses.

The district will provide updates on its website: www.sd22.bc.ca.

by Pete McIntyre

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