You may have noticed a lot of kids have been getting sick in Greater Sudbury and across the province lately.
Earlier this fall, in an interview about increasing RSV infections, Public Health Sudbury told Sudbury.com that earlier in the pandemic, more people were taking precautions to prevent infection. In light of this situation, Sudbury.com reached out to Public Health Sudbury and Districts to get a look at recent absenteeism rates in local schools.
PHSD said that on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, roughly 11 per cent of elementary students at schools within Public Health Sudbury and Districts’ service area were reported as absent due to illness. Public Health Sudbury also noted that a number of schools have recently reported rates of illness-related absenteeism exceeding 25 to 30 per cent of their student population.
Among secondary students in our area, the reported rate of illness-related absenteeism was 3.5 per cent on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, and 2.1 per cent on Nov. 18, 2022. To help prevent and stop the spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases in school settings, the Ministry of Education requires schools to monitor their own absenteeism rates and report student and staff absences to Public Health Sudbury and Districts.
When you have a policy that tells them to STAY HOME when sick, do NOT complain of 'absenteeism'. They're doing as they're TOLD. Following orders, so to speak. JFC
Good, at least they arent in class. But this is fairly normal