Ottawa parent creates school COVID-19 tracker
An Ottawa parent concerned with a lack of COVID-19 data in school has created a website to track cases.
Katya Duhamel is the creator of the Ottawa Covid Tracker. It’s an online tool for parents to self-report COVID-19 symptoms and cases in schools.
“I created it because I really feel that it’s crucial to be able to know if you child has been directly impacted or affected,” she tells CTV News Ottawa.
The mother of a six year-old has a background in data and I.T. and says she created the tracker as a way of sharing information,
“I created a simple tool that parents, educators, guardians can use to go and report if they have a suspected or positive case of COVID.”
The online tool is accessible to anyone here.
Duhamel says that no personal information is submitted, not even the teacher’s name. Parents enter the school, class, cohort, last day at the school attended, and whether the case is suspected or confirmed.
According to the website’s description, “Given that there is no longer public reporting, and that testing capacity is very limited through assessment centers, we have created this website as a temporary way for parents, schools and daycares to share information privately about Covid cases in the community.”
The province is no longer publishing information on COVID-19 in schools, but is sharing data on absences online, whether they are related to COVID-19 or not.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board will launch a voluntary COVID-19 disclosure process for parents, students and staff later this month.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board says it will still notify families of a positive COVID-19 case in their schools, should they learn of them.
In a letter to families, the OCSB said that, starting Wednesday, if the school becomes aware of a positive COVID-19 test result via a rapid antigen or PCR test, families would be notified.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.