56 COVID-19 exposures reported in Interior schools, highest number in Central Okanagan

The Central Okanagan continues to show the highest number of COVID-19 school exposures in recent weeks.

Central Okanagan Public Schools had 17 schools with exposures within the last two weeks, according to Interior Health, six of which were in West Kelowna, 10 were in Kelowna and one was in Lake Country.

The Central Okanagan also has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the Interior, with 140 cases reported from Nov. 14 to 20, according to B.C. Centre of Disease Control data.

School District No. 73 in Kamloops had the second-highest number of school exposures in the Interior, with 12. It also has the second-highest case count with 92 COVID-19 cases reported between Nov. 14 to 20.

At School District No. 22 in Vernon, five schools have reported exposures within the last two weeks. An outbreak at M.V. Beattie Elementary School in Enderby has since been declared over and students were back in the classroom this week.

The Okanagan Skaha school district in the South Okanagan had four exposures and the North Okanagan Shuswap reported three.

In the Kootenays, 11 schools reported exposures within the last two weeks and SD No. 27 in the Cariboo Chilcotin has eight. One exposure was reported in Grand Forks.

There were also four exposures at independent schools in recent weeks.

No outbreaks are currently ongoing in Interior schools and COVID-19 vaccines have also been approved for children ages five and older.

In the Interior, 70% of students ages 12 to 17 have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the Centre for Disease Control.

School exposures can be viewed through Interior Health’s website.

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