COVID-19 outbreak declared at Boreal YMCA Childcare site

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Boreal YMCA Childcare site.

Algoma Public Health is investigating to identify close contacts and says that families will receive a low risk or high risk contact letter if their child was exposed. 

APH is recommending that all children and staff closely self-monitor for symptoms, and if symptoms develop, get assessed.

For those seeking testing of symptomatic children under the age of two, you must visit Sault Area Hospital’s Emergency Department.

For more information, please see the news release included below.

The Sault YMCA has been informed by Algoma Public Health (APH) that an outbreak of COVID-19 has been declared at our Boreal YMCA Childcare site.

As per provincial Ministry of Education guidance, an outbreak is declared in a childcare centre once it has been determined that within a 14 day period, two individuals tested positive for COVID-19 and:

• At least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the childcare setting; and
• There are characteristics that link the two cases (e.g., a child or staff could have become infected with COVID-19 at the childcare centre, either from each other or a common source).

Working with APH, we will continue to monitor the situation and outbreak measures may be scaled up or down in response to the risk of transmission in the centre.

APH is carefully investigating to identify close contacts and reassures families from the Boreal YMCA Childcare site that if you do not receive a low risk and/or high risk contact letter, your child is not considered a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, in which case APH does not recommend having your child tested unless they are showing symptoms of COVID-19.

APH recommends that all children and staff who attend a child care centre that is currently in an outbreak situation to self-monitor closely for symptoms of COVID-19 and, if symptoms develop, visit a COVID-19 assessment centre.

For those seeking testing of symptomatic children under the age of two, you must visit Sault Area Hospital’s Emergency Department.

We thank the team at APH for their assistance and guidance through this situation. We also recognize that receiving this type of news can be stressful for parents and the public. Help and support is available on the APH website and if you have any questions, please contact APH at 705-942-4646.