There has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 at a school in Wasaga Beach.
Parents and guardians of students at Worsley Elementary School received this email on Monday, September 28:
Dear Parent/Guardian,
We have been notified by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) that a student or staff at Worsley Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19. Our school is working closely with the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB), the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC), and the SMDHU. Together, we are taking necessary steps to prevent the further spread of the virus both in the school and in the community.
We recognize that this situation may be stressful, and we want to ensure that you and your family understand what you can expect to happen going forward.
What the health unit will do:
SMDHU investigates all situations in which a person has tested positive for COVID-19, or who is presumed to have COVID-19, in Simcoe and Muskoka.
When the health unit confirms that a person does have COVID-19 they will manage the situation based on an individual risk assessment, informed by the Ministry of Health’s COVID 19 Guidance: School Outbreak Management. The health unit will determine who is at risk and ensure that school staff, families and students are provided with the appropriate information and recommendations to protect themselves and those close to them. These may include:
- Working with the school to determine who from the school community (e.g. students, staff, before and after care, bus, volunteers, etc.) may have been in close contact with the person who has COVID-19.
- Notifying those who have been in close contact with the person who has COVID-19, and sending them home for 14 days following their last close contact.
- Advising those who are identified as close contacts to seek testing, including those with no symptoms.
Due to privacy laws, the health unit will not release personal or identifying information about any staff or student who is ill unless deemed necessary. If your child has been identified as a close contact, the health unit will follow up with you directly.
For more information regarding COVID-19, including information and resources for families, visit the health unit website https://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/COVID-19/Return-to-School/Families, or contact Health Connection at 705-721-7520 (toll free 1-877-721-7520).
There are currently three other cases of COVID-19 which have been confirmed at schools in the Simcoe County District, including Admiral Collingwood Elementary, Bear Creek Secondary School and Twin Lakes Secondary School.