COVID exposures reported at 28 Langley schools over two-week period

Fraser Health Authority (FHA) has reported COVID exposures at 28 Langley schools between Sept. 21 and Oct. 7.

Within Langley School District No. 35, 25 schools reported exposures.

Glenwood Elementary had the highest number, 12, during that period, according to the FHA online school notifications tracker.

It was the second highest Fraser Health school district numbers after Surrey.

Three Langley independent schools – St Catherine’s Catholic Elementary, Langley Christian and Credo Christian Elementary – reported multiple exposures during the same period.

Fraser Health confirmed the more-contagious Delta variant “was the predominant circulating variant” in the schools, but the authority was “treating all school exposures as COVID-19 exposures with no specific differences in management if they are a variant or otherwise.”

READ ALSO: COVID cases in Langley continue to rise

In response to a Langley Advance Times query, Langley superintendent Gord Stewart said unvaccinated households “are the greatest concern with respect to the spread of COVID-19” and the district will continue to follow guidelines set out by the Ministry of Education and the provincial health office.

“Our schools are assisting Fraser Health with providing information as part of case management and contact tracing. We rely on public health’s expertise on this process and will continue to provide support,” Stewart went on to say.

Regarding tightening COVID restrictions, such as a vaccine mandate for staff, Stewart said the district will be guided by the ministry’s advisory committee “and will await their principles, standards, and guidelines for boards of education. Should the Langley Board of Education, choose to consider mandatory vaccination for staff, the Board will work closely with the BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA), our unions and local partners, as well as the Ministry’s advisory committee.”

READ ALSO: COVID cases shut down Grade 6 at Langley school

Langley school board offices are open to the public, as are recreation facilities on all sites. Playgrounds are open as well.

As of Sept. 21, rental and booking of school district sites by community user groups began to gradually resume.

An advisory from the district about applying for rentals said it “continues to follow COVID-19 health and safety guidelines as directed by the Provincial Health Office and the Fraser Health Authority. These measures could be subject to change at any time.”

Langley school district serves about 23,000 students in 45 schools and employs over 3,000 teachers, support staff and administrators.

Exposure at Bez Arts Hub in Langley. pic.twitter.com/usH98huc3a

— BC School Covid Tracker (@BCschoolCovid) October 12, 2021

The unofficial online B.C. School COVID Tracker website posted an FHA notice of an Oct. 4 COVID exposure at the Bez Arts Hub live performance venue in Langley.

Langley Advance Times has reached out to Bez Arts for comment.