COVID CONTACT ISOLATION DAY 1 (12/16/21)

2:20 P.M. (12/16/21) our staff was paged by the office and told to check our e-mail. The e-mail informed us that we were exposed to COVID-19 via a member of our school community. Immediately, people gravitated oward the school office for further details. Substitiute teachers who did not get the email were questioning regular staff about the situation. Admin were unable to answer questions as they were otherwise engaged with Eastern Health. A very fluid situation to say the least. When admin were ready they called for a quick staff meeting. Teachers gathered in the staff room to be told that until they heard otherwise that a "normal" return to school was expected as long as they felt "asymptomatic". The original email from NLESD suggested if we were deemed a close contact Eastern Health would be contacting us by 3:00 P.M. otherwise school would be open for in-class instruction as usual on Friday and we to report in. 2:23 P.M. (12/16/21) While in our staff meeting we receive another email from Bruce indictating that I was identified as a "high-risk contact" and would require a COVID test. Crap! Well at least I was the last member of my family to require one. It took a while before everyone at the staff meeting realized that we had ALL recieved the same email. Prior to leaving school I went online and booked my COVID test. 2:30 P.M. (12/16/21) Left school for home. Called/text my wife to make her aware. I decided to return home directly, ignoring my wife's request to stop by Sobeys on the way home for a few items. We were expecting friend's over for supper as they were heading out of province to visit their daughter over the Christmas break and we were staging a mock Christmas dinner with them. I told my wife to contact them to make them aware of the situation. They have been looking forward to visiting their daughter and I did not wish to jeporadize their travels. Wisely they chose not to attend (dropping by to pick up thier meals instead and dropping off our Christmas gift) avoiding all contact with me in the process. ~3:00 P.M. (12/16/21) Eastern Health called to let me know my COVID test was scheduled for 3:30 Friday Dec. 17, 2021. ~5:30 P.M. (12/16/21) Sat down to eat supper with my family thinking I might not get this opportunity in the near future. Prophetic thought! 8:47 P.M. (12/16/21) New email from Admin: Frank Roberts Junior High would be closed on Friday Dec. 17, 2021. To quote Hey Rosetta!, Holy Shit! What a Relief! At least that is what I thought and relayed it in an email to Bruce. Thankful we were not expected to return to school prior to testing. 9:10 P.M. (12/16/21) Another e-mail from Eastern Health via Admin: New directive from Eastern Health as ALL staff must now Self-Isolate for 7 days, get a second COVID test 7 days later (Dec. 21, 2021) and a third 11-13 days later (Dec. 25-27, 2021). Merry Fucking Christmas! 9:13 P.M. (12/16/21) Another e-mail from Admin: Optional Staff Meeting via Google Meet. 9:30 P.M. (12/16/21) Staff Google Meet: Lots of staff questions regarding the situation. Mostly answered. A lot of worried staff. Worried about their families. I post a message in the chat "Wishing the COVID + community member is double vaxed and doing well". Despite my concerns my wife insists that we will spend the night together. NURSES!