Sorrento Elementary closes for week due to staff restraints in wake of COVID cases

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Sorrento Elementary School is moving to remote learning for the remainder of this week following a number of COVID-19 cases in the school.

North Okanagan-Shuswap School District Supt. Donna Kriger posted the update to the school's website, along with a letter from Interior Health.

“As you are likely aware, COVID-19 activity has increased throughout the Interior region in the past few weeks,” reads the letter from IH.

“Recently, there have been some cases of COVID-19 among the school community, and as such there are a number of school community members that require self-isolation for 10 days.”

The school will be closed for one week due to staffing restraints, the letter states. In-person classes will resume Oct. 18.

“Interior Health and School District No. 83 are working very closely together to ensure members of our school community who are directly impacted have been contacted, and they have the information they need,” said IH.

Anyone potentially exposed to COVID-19 will receive a phone call from IH and will be asked to self-isolate for 10 days.

Interior Health noted this is a "functional school closure," and it has not been declared a COVID-19 school outbreak.

IH asks all members of the school community to self-monitor for symptoms and get tested if they are sick.

“Schools offer very significant health and wellness benefits, physically, socially, and emotionally. Health authorities and school districts are working closely to ensure schools remain safe,” said IH.

The IH school exposure list notes Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1, 4, 5, and 6 as potential exposure dates at Sorrento.

Last week, a parent expressed alarm as 91 of the school's 209 students were apparently absent.

At that time (Oct. 6), Interior Health reported potential exposures at the school on Sept. 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, and 29.