The Cariboo-Chilcotin School District 27 saw its first case of COVID-19 after a member of the Lake City Secondary School (Williams Lake Campus) tested positive earlier this week.
Following the confirmed case one adult, one child, and students with the confirmed cases cohort are self-isolating.
The BC Centre for Disease Control has confirmed that the case and exposure happened sometime between November 17 to 19.
Superintendent of Schools with the School District Chris van der Mark said that it was only a matter of time before a case or exposure happened.
“I don’t think it should be a surprise,” he said. “We know from the stats that it has been out there, that it has been in the community prior to now. This is just the first exposure we’ve had that relates to a school setting.”
van der Mark said that feels good to see the procedures of a possible COVID-19 exposure work correctly.
“We can’t take a lot of credit for that. Those are the systems and the things that have been requested by the PHO (Provincial Health Officer) and Interior Health,” he said. “We’ve followed their guidance, and I must say I’m pretty impressed with their ability to follow up and contract trace and interview, and figure who was with you and when. It’s pretty impressive what they have been able to pull together in order to narrow down the potential of who ma or may not have been exposed.”
He added that he hopes that the case serves as a reminder that COVID is a possibility in Williams Lake and that people double-down on following the protocols and procedures in place.