‘Parents are definitely concerned’: Possible Omicron outbreak shuts down two Montreal schools
Posted December 15, 2021 12:40 pm.
Last Updated December 15, 2021 9:45 pm.
Two Montreal schools have closed due to possible outbreaks of the Omicron variant.
École des Coquelicots in Verdun and École Sainte-Geneviève Sud in LaSalle have both shut down until Dec. 24 after detecting the Omicron variant among students.
The Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys, responsible for the two schools, told CityNews they are prioritizing the security of students and staff and are adhering to public-health directives.
All students and staff are being asked to get tested for the virus by Dec. 22 – and to send those test results to the school when they have them.
“They didn’t close because they had massive outbreaks of several tens of cases, they closed with probably less than 10 cases each,” said Olivier Drouin, a Montreal parent and founder of Covid Écoles Quebec, a website that tracks COVID-19 cases in the province’s schools.
“However, because the public health of Montreal has a more rigorous process in case management in schools for Omicron, as soon as those cases were confirmed and sequenced properly to say it was Omicron, they closed, they isolated all of the cases of contacts, which really brought it down the two schools.
#WATCH: “As soon as those cases were confirmed […] to say it was Omicron, they closed,” @CovidEcoles founder @olivierdrouin. École des Coquelicots in Verdun & École Sainte-Geneviève Sud in LaSalle both closed their doors after detecting the Omicron variant. pic.twitter.com/IEWpijg2FX
— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) December 15, 2021
Drouin’s site was the first to compile data on COVID-19 in schools, even before the provincial government began releasing public data on the cases in educational establishments.
He says the Omicron cases at both schools were linked to a Christmas market that took place over the weekend in the community.
“Parents are definitely concerned,” he said. “If you look at the total cases in schools regardless of Omicron right now, they’re very high.”
Drouin was contacted by parents about the closures. They provided him with letters sent to them about the situation.
One of the letters states: “In the last seven days, numerous students have received a positive COVID-19 Omicron test.”
École Sainte-Geneviève Sud in LaSalle, one of two Montreal schools recently shut down due to a possible Omicron outbreak. (Credit: CITYNEWS/Martin Daigle)
As of Dec. 13, Quebec’s official data says more 5,000 students and more than 600 staff in schools have confirmed active cases of COVID-19. Currently, 23 schools have been closed or partially closed.
Provincial data shows 45 per cent of children aged five to 11 in Quebec have gotten a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and another 7 per cent have booked their first appointment.
***2eme école avec cas Omicron à Montréal:
École Sainte-Geneviève Sud de Lasalle***#polqc #assnat #qcpoli pic.twitter.com/HEWBxw0xwh
— Covid Ecoles Quebec (@CovidEcoles) December 15, 2021
On Wednesday, Quebec reported more than 2,300 COVID-19 cases in the previous 24 hours.
Premier Francois Legault says the province is looking at all options to limit the spread of the virus and community transmission of the Omicron variant. The premier says holiday gatherings – previously announced for up to 20 vaccinated people in a private residence – could be altered. He says discussions are ongoing.
READ: Quebec introduces new measures in hopes of slowing Omicron spread
On Tuesday, Health Minster Christian Dubé said Quebecers should work from home until further notice.
Quebec will be giving out free rapid tests to everyone via pharmacies as of next Monday. Residents are entitled to five rapid tests, per person, every 30 days. The federal government is sending a shipment of 10 million rapid tests to the province.
