Sharbot Lake Daycare centre re-opens after COVID-19 case

Jeff Green | Apr 16, 2021

Early on Tuesday morning (April 13) the parent of a child who attends the Rural Frontenac Community Services (RFCS) licensed daycare Centre in Sharbot Lake, phoned the Centre to let them know that their child had tested positive for COVID-19. The child had not attended the centre on Monday, but was there on the previous Friday.

The daycare was immediately closed.

Later that morning, RFCS received a letter from Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health (KFLAPH). The letter to all families whose children’s attend the Centre as well.

“KFL&A Public Health has been working closely with the Centre and upon thorough investigation it has been determined there is no current risk of COVID-19 transmission within the Centre at this time to the children and staff,” the letter said.  “Children, families and staff members may end their isolation and do not need to be tested for this investigation.”

The letter also encouraged families’ to “continue to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and screen your child daily.”

An COVID-19 outbreak was not declared as the result of the case.

According to the information posted on the KFLPAH site, an outbreak is declared in a licensed daycare setting, if there is “at least 1 symptomatic, lab-confirmed case in a child, staff member or home child care provider, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health”

Even with the go-ahead to remain open, the Centre remained closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

Louise Moody, the Executive Director of Rural Frontenac Community Services, said that daycare was closed because staff members wanted to be tested for COVID and for a thorough cleaning as well.

“Four of the daycare staff have received negative test results, and it looks like we may be able to open tomorrow,” Moody said on Thursday.

The daycare re-opened on Friday morning.

Also, this week, the Limestone District School Board announced on Wednesday (April 14) that a student at Granite Ridge Education Centre in Sharbot Lake had tested positive for COVID-19.

“It has been determined that this case poses no risk to students or staff. As such, no cohorts will be required to isolate at this time,” the release concluded.

As of the Thursday (April 15) update to the KFLAPH dashboard, there had been 5 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Central since Saturday, April 10.