No evidence yet of transmission after COVID-19 variants of concern found in 7 B.C. schools

In response to news that afaster-spreading COVID-19 variant first reported in the U.K. has been detected in positive cases at seven schools in B.C., health officials say they have ramped up test screenings and an increase in cases is to be expected.

Duringa snap newsconference called on Monday afternoon,Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reka Gustafsonsaid B.C. is now screening 70 per cent of of test samples for variants of concern, up from about 15 per cent in January.

"Sometimes when we change our screening strategies we can have an increase in detections," Gustafsontold reporters.

"We must absolutely respond to them and we will continue to respond to them."

Over the weekend, British Columbians learned that the variant first identified in the U.K. had been confirmed in six Surrey schools and one in Delta.

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Education Minister Jennifer Whitesidesaid Monday that testing is now underway to determine if the variants have spread through those schools. She said 35 teachers were tested on Sunday, and those tests all came back negative.

"Cases in schools mirror what is happening in our communities. So it was always a possibility that we would see variant exposures in schools," Whiteside said.

WATCH:Education Minister Jennifer Whitesidediscusses COVID-19 in B.C. schools

B.C. health officials say no evidence of transmission after variants of concern found in 7 schools

4 years ago

Duration 2:17

B.C. health officials are ramping up COVID-19 screening in schools to track more infectious viral variants.

"As we learned from the first case of a variant in our schools at Garibaldi school[in Maple Ridge] a few weeks ago there was one case identified but zero transmissions after testing and what that says to us is that our health and safety protocols are working when they're adhered to."

Fraser Health has saidit is workingclosely with the school districts to manage the exposures.

Teri Mooring of the B.C. Teachers Federation said Monday that the detection of these variants in schools suggestspublic health officials need to expand guidelines on masks to include elementary students. However, Gustafson said she did not think a change in the mask policy is necessary.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced mandatory mask guidelines earlier this month for students in middle and high schools.

The seven schools involved in Surrey areJames ArdielElementary,Surrey Traditional Elementary School,Woodward Hill Elementary, A.H.P. Matthew Elementary, Tamanawis Secondary School andGobind Sarvar School, which is an independentschool in the city.

The school in Delta isHellings Elementary School.

A statement from the Surrey School District to parents says thestrain detected at two of the schools wasconnected to positive cases dating back to Jan. 26, because testingfor the variants takes longer than the standard COVID-19 test.