Here's how Saskatoon area schools are responding to the end of COVID-19 case reporting
As of Friday, parents and caregivers are no longer required to report kids' positive COVID-19 tests to schools.
Also, unvaccinated close contacts are no longer required to self-isolate and the isolation time for unvaccinated individuals has been reduced from 10 to five days.
Here is how Saskatoon area schools are responding to the changes announced on Thursday.
SASKATOON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In a letter to parents and caregivers, the city's public school division said it is immediately dissolving its communication process for positive cases.
"Saskatoon Public Schools values open and transparent communication with families and this will not change," the letter from education director Shane Skjerven said.
"Without a requirement to report positive cases to schools, our school division cannot accurately track this information and report it to the school community," Skjerven said.
In the absence of a public health order or direction from the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Skjerven said the division can't share private health information.
Parents and caregivers whose kids test positive for COVID-19 are instructed to simply report the student as "sick."
GREATER SASKATOON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
In its message to parents and caregivers, the city's Catholic division said it will no longer send exposure notifications to parents and caregivers.
"Everyone is reminded to continue self-monitoring for symptoms, use rapid antigen tests to monitor and detect positive cases, and stay home if you are not feeling well or test positive," the division said.
As with the city's public division, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools said without direction from the province or health officials, it does not have the authority to share health information that parents and caregivers share in confidence.
The division also said any classes that are currently online will resume in-class learning on Jan. 31.
PRAIRIE SPIRIT SCHOOL DIVISION
The school division serving communities outside Saskatoon, including Warman and Martensville, said it will no longer provide daily COVID-19 notifications to the school community as a result of changes announced on Thursday.
"Those who test positive are required to self-isolate and will be absent from school and activities for the duration of the self-isolation period," education director Darryl Bazylak said in a letter to parents and caregivers.
Any Prairie Spirit classes now learning online will return to in-class learning as of Feb. 1.
"We expect students and staff members to stay home if they have any symptoms. If your child tests positive for COVID-19 or is sick, please report their absence as 'illness' when you contact the school," Bazylak said.
"This information is requested by Public Health as part of their ongoing monitoring at schools."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.