Doctor Janet DeMille is optimistic that the closure to in-person learning at a local school is a short-term solution to stopping further spread of COVID-19.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit made the move Thursday night on the heels of four additional cases, ten total heading into the weekend.
“We do not want to keep them out of school and the school activities unless it’s absolutely necessary,” stressed DeMille. “We’re taking this precautionary temporary measure at this time, and as we gather additional information that will help us make further decisions as to a return to in-class learning next week.”
The District as a whole is dealing with 19 active cases, seven new ones reported on Friday.
Lakehead Public Schools has resolved all five active cases within the Lakehead Public School Board while three classrooms are closed within the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board.
DeMille supports the federal government’s announcement Friday to drop the requirement for a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test if your trip to the United States is less than three days.
“There’s a lot of people from the city who do cross the border for a day or less than a day and they don’t go very far into Minnesota, and so I didn’t think the negative PCR test was needed for when they returned,” noted DeMille. “That said travel remains a risk, especially to the United States, and people should take appropriate precautions to prevent getting COVID-19 and not spreading it in the Thunder Bay District if they are positive when they’re back.”
The Doctor mentioned that her team is still looking for more details from the province following their announcement Thursday on more rapid tests for kids over the holidays and changes to elementary assemblies and the high school semester.
