Everyone has a role to play in reducing the spread of respiratory viruses (such as COVID-19, RSV, and the flu). The actions you take will protect you, your loved ones and those most vulnerable in our community.
Use Toronto Public Health’s Self-Assessment Tool if you have symptoms of an infectious disease and follow additional guidance when needed. Individuals should look for new, different or worsening symptoms. Symptoms should not be chronic or related to other known causes or conditions.
Stay Home (Self-Isolate) if you are Sick
Self-isolate means:
Stay home and do not attend work, school, child care or other public places.
Only leave home if there is a medical emergency or to get a clinical assessment or test. See COVID-19 Clinical Assessments and Testing for more information.
Follow Extra Measures means:
For 10 days after the start of symptoms:
Wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools/child care, unless less than two years of age);
Avoid non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask (e.g., playing a wind instrument in music class or removing your mask for sports or dining out),
Avoid visiting anyone who is immunocompromised or may be at higher risk of illness (for example, seniors)
Avoid non-essential visits to high-risk settings such as hospitals and long-term care homes
Follow this advice even if you test negative for COVID-19 or you did not do a test. These measures are an added layer of prevention against the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19.
Additional guidance and longer self-isolation are recommended if you are immunocompromised or residing in the highest-risk setting OR hospitalized.
Get Tested and treated if eligible
• COVID-19 testing and treatments are available to certain groups.
• There are Clinical Assessment Centres that are able to assess, test, and provide treatment options to individuals with COVID-19, flu and other respiratory symptoms. Some centres can also assess children. For more information, visit the Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 testing locations webpage.
Visit the Reduce Respiratory Virus Spread Guide webpage for more information on how to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.
At this time, Brick Works Academy is allowing masking to be optional at camp. Staff and students are welcome to choose to wear a mask during the camp and should not be pressured by staff, students or parents to change their masking decision. Students with symptoms of COVID-19 need to be symptom-free for over 24 hours before attending camp. Students developing symptoms at camp will be required to wear a mask while they wait to be picked up by their parents. Students with persistent coughs after a cold has run its course will be required to wear a mask at camp.
Handwashing
Handwashing throughout the day is encouraged by public health units. This is a key safety element of our programs. Your children are required to wash their hands before and after each eating break. This protects students from infection and from allergens such as food-based contaminants.
There are two ways to clean our hands:
1. Hand Washing
The purpose of hand washing is to physically remove soil, organic material and germs. The use of soap, warm running water, and friction is an effective way to remove germs from our hands.
When clean, running water is available, wash hands with soap and water and dry thoroughly. In childcare centres, children and staff should use a sink that is dedicated for the purpose of hand hygiene.
Follow these steps when washing hands:
1. Wet hands.
2. Apply soap. Childcare centres require soap from a dispenser.
3. Lather for 15 seconds. Rub between fingers, back of hands, fingertips, under nails.
4. Rinse well under running water.
5. Dry hands well with a paper towel or hot air blower.
6. Turn taps off with a paper towel, if available.
2. Hand Sanitizing
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are very useful when soap and water are not available. When hands are not visibly dirty, then a 70-90% alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used. People who are involved in food preparation should not use hand sanitizers but instead wash their hands with soap and water.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be harmful if swallowed. To reduce the risk of ingestion, it is important to always have childcare staff help and supervise children when they use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizers out of reach of children when not in use.
Follow these steps when using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
Apply sanitizer (minimum 70% alcohol-based).
Rub hands together.
Work sanitizer between fingers, back of hands, fingertips, and under nails.
Rub hands until dry.
Everyone should practice hand hygiene:
When they arrive at the child care centre, before or immediately after entry into any room, and before they go home
After using the washroom
After coming in from outdoors
Before and after eating and before drinking
After covering a cough, sneeze or blowing their nos
Before and after touching their eyes, nose or mouth
Whenever hands are visibly dirty
Whenever in doubt
In addition, childcare staff should practice hand hygiene:
Before and after preparing, handling or serving food
After contact with broken skin or body fluids (e.g., runny nose, spit, vomit, blood, cut or open sore), even if gloves were worn
Before and after glove use
After cleaning, handling garbage or contact with contaminated surfaces
Note: Artificial nails, chipped nail polish, and jewelry can harbour germs. For this reason, it is recommended that staff at childcare centres keep their nails short and clean.
Respiratory Etiquette
Germs such as influenza, cold viruses, and even whooping cough, are spread by coughing or sneezing. When you cough or sneeze on your hands, your hands carry and spread these germs. When possible, keep your distance (more than two metres) from people who are coughing or sneezing.
Respiratory infections are spread easily in settings where people are in close contact, such as childcare centres. To prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory infections, proper respiratory etiquette should be taught and practised regularly by children, staff and visitors.
Respiratory etiquette includes:
Staying home when ill with a respiratory infection.
Minimizing droplets and aerosols when coughing or sneezing by:
Covering your mouth and nose when you cough, sneeze or blow your nose. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve, not in your hands.
Putting used tissue in the garbage immediately after use.
Cleaning your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (minimum 70% alcohol-based) after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose and before touching your face.
Maintaining a two-metre distance from others when possible.
• Practicing proper hand hygiene immediately after coughing or sneezing.
What causes infection and how does it spread?
Germs
Microorganisms, too small to be seen with the naked eye, are everywhere around us, found in food, water, people, animals, air and soil. Many microorganisms are harmless and do not lead to infection; some are even necessary for health.
Some microorganisms, however, can cause infection. We call these microorganisms pathogens, infectious agents or, more commonly, germs.
Germs cause a number of illnesses commonly seen in childcare centres, such as common colds, influenza (the flu), norovirus, strep throat and foodborne illness. For more information, see Toronto Public Health’s Guidelines for Common Communicable Diseases.
The Chain of Transmission
The Chain of Transmission model helps to understand how germs are spread from person to person and how measures can “break the links” and prevent illness.
There are six links in the Chain of Transmission:
1. Infectious Agent (Germs)
Germs include any microorganism that is capable of causing an infection, including:
Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
Parasites
Break the chain: measures such as hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, and cooking foods to safe temperatures can break this link in the chain of transmission.
2. Reservoir (Where Germs Live)
Reservoirs are places where germs live and grow, including people, animals, food, water and the environment.
Break the chain: measures such as improving air filtration and ventilation, food safety measures, and staying home when sick can break this link in the chain of transmission.
3. Portal of Exit (How Germs Get Out)
The portal of exit is how the germs get out and leave the reservoir (e.g., sneezing and coughing).
Break the chain: measures such as wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and practising respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene can break this link in the chain of transmission.
4. Mode of Transmission (How Germs Get Around)
The mode of transmission refers to how germs spread from person to person. The following are the three main modes of transmission:
Contact Transmission
Contract transmission includes:
Direct contact - occurs when germs are spread through direct physical contact, such as kissing, hugging or shaking hands.
Indirect contact - occurs when germs are spread through contact with a contaminated object, equipment or surfaces (e.g., shared toys).
Droplet Transmission
Droplet transmission occurs when an infected person coughs or sneezes into the air. Respiratory illnesses, including the common cold and the flu, can spread when droplets come in contact with another person's mucous membranes (e.g., the eyes, nose or mouth).
Droplets can be expelled up to 2 metres through the air. They can also land on surfaces, contaminating the environment. Many survive on surfaces for a long period of time.
Airborne Transmission
Airborne transmission occurs when an infected individual expels tiny droplets (or aerosols) into the air, either by coughing, sneezing, singing, laughing or otherwise exhaling in some way. These aerosols remain suspended in the air and may travel along air currents. Transmission occurs when aerosols are inhaled by another individual. Examples include chicken pox, measles and tuberculosis.
Break the chain: measures such as improving ventilation and hand hygiene, covering our coughs and sneezes, and using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can break this link in the chain of transmission.
5. Portal of Entry (How Germs Get In)
The portal of entry refers to how germs enter a new person. Portals of entry include the mucous membranes of our eyes, nose and mouth; the respiratory tract; the gastrointestinal tract; and broken skin.
Break the chain: measures such as practising hand hygiene, using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and avoiding touching our eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands can break this link in the chain of transmission.
6. At-Risk Individuals
Anyone can develop an infection; however, some individuals may be at higher risk of getting very sick. This may include the very young, the very old, pregnant people, unvaccinated people, and those with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions.
Break the chain: measures such as keeping up-to-date with immunizations and protecting those at higher risk can help break this link in the chain of transmission.