KITCHENER -- Schools in Waterloo Region will reopen for in-class learning next week, and they’re getting the support of Waterloo Region’s Medical Officer of Health.
Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang says she supports the decision now that we’re seeing fewer new cases of COVID-19.
But she warns that there’s still concern about the number of people testing positive for the COVID-19 variant.
The province announced new enhanced school protocols two weeks ago, including targeted testing.
The Minister of Education has said it will be handled by local public health units.
But on Friday, Dr. Wang says plans at the regional level are still in the works.
“As we get more information from the province about targeted testing, we will work with the school boards and testing partners who oversee testing to develop a plan for the uses of targeted/asymptomatic testing.”
A major concern is the mutation of the virus.
Waterloo Region’s first case of the U.K. variant was detected a week ago.
Dr. Wang announced three more cases on Friday, but says additional lab tests are being done to determine the specific mutations.
“One is a close contact of the first detected case,” she said. “Two other separate cases have also been identified. All three have a connection to international travel.”
Colin Furness, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, says the presence of the more highly contagious variant in Waterloo Region is a warning sign that in-class learning could be impacted over the next few months.
“How will the variants behave in this community? How many super-spreader events will there be? Once we know about that, we will know a little bit more about a timeline.”
Local officials also agree.
“We have to be extremely cautious,” says Dr. Wang. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”
The plan is for students to return to their classrooms next week, but no decision has been made about March Break.
The Ministry of Education says an announcement on that will come next week.
