KITCHENER -- A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Haldimand-Norfolk REACH Child Care Centre in Caledonia.

The centre is located at McKinnon Park Secondary School.

According to the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, one child has tested positive for COVID-19.

Leo Massi, the executive director of Haldimand-Norfolk REACH, says he got the news on Saturday night. They then contacted the families of three other students and staff members who may have been possibly exposed.

Officials say more test results are pending and all four children have been asked to stay home.

“The outcomes of those tests will kind of give us the best direction of where we go from here,” says Massi.

The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit says it's working closely with the centre to create a public health management plan.

It also remains open for the 14 other children who regularly attend.

THE PROVINCE’S POSITION

This latest outbreak in Caledonia is raising concerns about safety, just days before school starts.

“I’ll be very frank, there’s going to be outbreaks,” said Premier Doug Ford at a press conference Monday.

But he stresses that the public health officials are prepared.

“It’s going to be like the ‘storm troopers’ moving in,” Ford said. “Making sure everyone is taken care of after, following the proper protocols and procedures.”

An education and public policy expert suggest parents should beef up their back to school plan, with an additional backup plan.

“We need to know what we are going to do in respect to our work lives,” said Kristina Llewellyn, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo. “There are a lot of families that are having to make very difficult decisions about not contracting, or having any contact with grandparents, for example, should there be an outbreak or possibility of exposure.”

An outbreak is declared at a child care centre whenever there is one or more cases in either a child or staff member. For schools, an outbreak will be declared when there are two linked cases among students or staff.