Ottawa Public Health (OPH) maintains the responsibility for contacting parents of children who are identified as having been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. If a child tests negative for COVID but still has symptoms, they can’t return to school until 24 hrs after symptoms are resolved w/o fever-reducing meds, or 48 hrs after vomiting or diarrhea has resolved. All household contacts can end self-isolation.
After being notified that a child or staff member at an Ottawa school has tested positive, and within 24 hours of being notified of the positive test results, OPH will send an automated email to all parents whose child has been identified as a “high-risk contact”.
Each email will have a website link unique to the child’s school and will provide parents with detailed instructions as well as additional information, including answers to some of the following commonly asked questions:
- What does it mean to have been identified as a high-risk contact?
- What does this mean for me and my family?
- What if my test is negative?
- What is considered a high-risk contact?
- How do you determine that someone is a high-risk contact?
- Does getting a message mean that the school or day care is in an outbreak?
- Why does Ottawa Public Health sometimes use an automated message?
- What does the first automated message sound like?
- Why would I continue to get automated messages for 14 days?
- Will I receive a phone call from an Ottawa Public Health nurse?
- Where do I call if I want to speak with a nurse?
Please visit the School and Child-Care Contract Tracing webpage for more information.
