OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health is hiring 36 new public health nurses to be "point people" for schools as children and teachers return to class this fall during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ottawa's school boards have unveiled health and safety plans for schools this fall that include physical distancing measures, hand-hygiene and enhanced cleaning.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches told CTV Morning Live on Thursday that public health will go "school-to-school" to check on preparations for back to school.
Speaking with reporters on Friday, Dr. Etches said Ottawa Public Health will have new staff in place to help school boards and principals during the school year.
"We are in the process of hiring 36 nurses who will be point people for the school and the principals," said Dr. Etches.
"They are going to make sure that the principals have a checklist of things to make sure they have reviewed before school starts."
Ottawa Public Health nurses will provide each principal a checklist to ensure their plans and practices are implemented in a way that meets the health unit's expectations of infection prevention and control.
Dr. Etches says the nurses will be focused on implementing screening measures to make sure staff, teachers and students with symptoms for COVID-19 stay home.
"We'll be helping review any issues of absenteeism that come up and looking into why children might be absent. We are going to be a resource to address if there is somebody who tests positive in a school, how we identify the close contacts and inform all who need to be part of the response."
Dr. Etches says a COVID-19 outbreak in a school will be two cases that have a link between them.
Ottawa Public Health is working with Ottawa's four school boards to support them in implementing the provincial guidelines for the new school year.
Dr. Etches says the nurses will also be a resource for supporting the mental health of children in schools.
