Our region’s top doctor is also calling for the return of students to their classes in June.
However, Louise Gagné, Executive Director of Community Services, says there’s still no direction from the province on when that will happen.
“Medical Officers of Health throughout the province, including Dr. Chirico and SickKids, are advocating for the return to in-person learning, and specifically for it to occur before the province starts to reopen,” she said.
Gagné says the experience the health unit had with schools throughout this pandemic has been very positive.
“We have not had any outbreaks within our schools; the schools are very compliant with following screening requirements, PPE requirements and we have all the precautions in place within our schools,” she says.
In addition, Gagné said the health unit has responded quickly when there have been cases within a school by dismissing appropriate cohorts and in some cases when there was a linkage to a variant of concern, an entire school cohort.
Based on these experiences, she said the health unit is confident that schools can reopen safely when they’re allowed to do so by the province.