Timberlea Senior Elementary School shutting down for week to curb COVID-19 spread – Halifax

Public Health in Nova Scotia is shutting down an elementary school in Timberlea for one week to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Senior Elementary will close tomorrow until Friday to “prevent further spread of the virus among the school community.” The school has students in Grades 2 to 5.

In a news release, the province said the school and public health will share more information later in the week about reopening plans. As well, the principal will be contacting staff and families about learning from home.

Meanwhile, Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Junior Elementary, which has students in pre-primary to Grade 1, will remain open “with continued public health monitoring.”

Both the junior and senior elementary schools have been listed on the province’s school exposure list multiple times since late November.

Public Health’s mobile testing unit is on site at the senior elementary today, from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Covid testing is free and open to students and staff at both schools.

Nova Scotia began its COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged five through 11 last week.

In its vaccination mandate update on Friday, the province said 99 per cent of those in the education sector have been vaccinated. The sector had a 100 per cent response rate from employees.

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