Public Health Information

The Linden School's Covid-19 Information for Families

• New! Daily COVID Online Screening Form for Linden Attendance
• Guidelines for The Linden School during the COVID-19 Pandemic
• The Linden School Illness, Closure, and Disclosure Process and Procedure, Academic Year 2020-2021
• The Linden School's Information on Distance Learning for Term 3, Academic Year 2019-2020

Toronto Public Health Covid-19 Notices

New! October 26.2020: Recommendations for Schools During Halloween

Due to rising cases of COVID-19 in our city, Toronto Public Health encourages schools to share the following messages with their school communities with respect to Halloween:

Outside of School

• Toronto Public Health does not recommend hosting or attending in-person gatherings for Halloween this year. For the safety of individuals, it is recommended that in person celebrations are limited to those whom individuals live with.
• As well, because of higher risks for COVID-19 in the modified Stage 2, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health is not recommending traditional door-to-door trick or treating in Toronto, Ottawa, Peel, and York Region. It is important that families not travel outside of their region to celebrate Halloween.
• For more information the following information can be shared with parents/guardians:

o   TPH Celebrating A Safer Halloween During COVID-10  (French)

o   TPH Be Hallo-wise infographic (French)

o   Trick-or-treating alternatives infographic (French)

Inside School

While Halloween will look different this year, with some imagination, there are still many ways to have fun and celebrate safely in the school setting. Large school wide events and gatherings are not recommended at this time. These are some suggestions  for your consideration for celebrating Halloween in Schools

• Decorate the classroom. Hang Halloween decorations in or around the classroom
• Students can attend school dressed up in a costume if they wish.  Since students are required to wear face coverings in school:
  • They should not wear a costume mask on top of their face covering.
  • They should not remove their face covering and wear only a costume mask. A costume mask does not replace a face covering.
  • Because they are wearing a face covering, it is recommended that students not wear make-up, from below the eyes to ensure their face coverings are not dirtied. Students can consider wearing colourful face coverings as part of their costume.
• We do not recommend that staff or students bring candy to school for sharing with others
• Students can have a Halloween event in their classroom restricted only to their class cohort.  This can include Halloween art activities, celebrating virtually with other classrooms, reading Halloween stories or watching a movie.

Please continue to visit the Toronto COVID-19 website to learn about the current health situation, affected City services and economic supports available. Please visit: www.toronto.ca/COVID19SchoolInfo for more information about schools.

• New! Updated October 4, 2020: COVID-19 School Decision Guide Version 2.1
• COVID-19 Guidelines for the Delivery of Home and Community Care Services for Children with Medical Complexity at School 
  Covid-19 School Guide for Children with Medical Complexities (Sick Kids Version) 
• September 15, 2020: Safer Holiday Planning During COVID-19 
• September 9, 2020: Toronto Public Health School Health Services and Important Updates During COVID-19
• March 19, 2020: Toronto Public Health Email to School Community Members
  
• March 12, 2020: Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Update and Travel Over March Break
• March 1, 2020: Please see the most recent school community update and fact sheet from Toronto Public Health regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  
• January 27, 2020: Public Health message to school community members: 2019-nCoV 
  

Government websites

• Government of Canada
• Toronto Public Health
  
• Toronto Region COVID-19 Assessment Centres

General Information for Families

• Request for Immunization Information for New Students 
• Immunization Requirements for Schools
  (A local medical officer of health may require a school operator to exclude from the school pupils who are not adequately immunized or have not provided immunization information to the local public health unit. Beginning September 1, 2017 parents must attend an in-person education session provided by their local public health unit prior to being granted a non-medical vaccine exemption.)
• New! Changes to the Immunization Statement of Conscience Affidavit
• Fact Sheet: Whooping Cough (Pertussis)