“COVID levels are really quite low in the province,” says Dr. Catherine Bélanger, the COVID-19 coordinator for the Haut-Saint-Laurent LHN. The number of cases is especially low in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, where the number of infections has barely increased in recent weeks and currently sits cumulatively at 111. “We have a low background level with outbreaks now that are being contained,” Bélanger notes, describing the situation as manageable.
“If there is a place where outbreaks can happen it is schools,” she says, noting that fortunately children do not seem to get that sick with the virus before echoing the concern that they could, however, bring it into a household where family members may be more susceptible. She says the most important thing right now is having protocols in place that quickly remove from schools any students who may be exhibiting symptoms, and making sure testing is available within two to five days.
In the current environment, though, “Almost no child should be excluded from school,” Bélanger says. “The science does not justify keeping children out of school for most health conditions that we encounter, for children or their parents or immediate family members in their household.” She suggests those who should be kept home are children “who are quite ill at baseline,” including those undergoing active chemotherapy treatment, or those with diagnosed conditions that require routine treatment or hospitalization. Being worried about parents and grandparents should also not be used as a justification for keeping children out of schools right now. Only those households with someone who is severely immuno-suppressed, undergoing chemotherapy or with extreme respiratory illness should be considering this option.
When asked if fear and a desire to keep their children home from schools has been creating conflicts for local doctors being asked to write notes for medical exemptions, Bélanger is careful to say that she is fairly strict in her beliefs, and that she does her best to explain the situation and to reassure parents who may be having doubts. “But, as a doctor, you make your decisions with what you are comfortable with. There is no right or wrong.”
For Bélanger, the real challenge coming up will be determining how to manage symptoms for schoolchildren, and with the opening of schools she is expecting an increase in calls. “There is bound to be an uptick,” she says, while noting doctors are being given access to material to help handle an increase in patient load. The Ormstown and Huntingdon medical centres are also still providing phone consultations to patients regardless of whether they have a family doctor associated with either clinic.
A second wave of COVID-19 is now starting to build across Europe and Asia and while it is still unknown whether the number of positive cases of the virus will intensify in Quebec and more locally in the Valley, our doctors are making sure they are prepared. “October and November will maybe be the months to watch as we go into flu season,” says Bélanger, who acknowledges this may be difficult to manage with so many possible types of infection starting to circulate at the same time. “It’s hard to clinically diagnose COVID,” she admits. That being said, it is fortunate that even during the height of the first wave, only around 20 per cent of all those tested were actually positive for COVID.
What is important to remember right now is to follow the protocols set out in schools, which should be applied in general as well. If an adult or child begins to show symptoms associated with the virus, they should immediately be isolated. Parents or individuals can then contact either a family doctor or public health official (1-877-644-4545) to determine whether it would be appropriate to be tested. Only the symptomatic person needs to be isolated. “The idea is to keep people from transmitting all sicknesses that share symptoms with COVID,” explains Bélanger.
“If we do it right, all sorts of respiratory infections will be decreased,” she says, noting that what has not changed is the significance of good hand hygiene, social distancing, and wearing masks. “And, if you have any symptoms, stay away from people and get tested.”