January 12th, 2017

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to inform you that a student at Chalmers Street Public School has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A.

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that is spread through contaminated food and water and can also be passed directly from infected persons through contact with unwashed hands. The primary risk is to children and staff who attend classes and childcare in Rooms 6, 7 and 8 and their families. Public Health will be contacting those affected directly. There is very low risk to the rest of the school.

A thorough cleaning of the infected classroom and shared spaces in the school, such as washrooms, the library and gymnasium, has already taken place. We will continue to disinfect these areas and a full deep cleaning of the entire school is planned for this weekend.

School staff will be supporting students by making sure their hands are washed properly and often. We encourage you to make sure hand washing is a priority at home as well.

Children infected with the Hepatitis A virus may have very mild or no symptoms, however, they can still pass on the virus to others. Symptoms may develop 1-2 months after exposure but typically begin to show around 28 days after exposure. Symptoms typically begin with a general feeling of being unwell, fever, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea followed by a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. If your child develops any of these symptoms of Hepatitis A, please consult your health care provider.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the information shared in this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school. Public Health is also available to answer any questions you may have at 519-575-4400.

 

Sincerely,

Rob Rebellato
Principal, Chalmers Street PS