Classrooms affected by COVID-19 exposures in Kenora and Sioux Narrows have both reopened to students and staff members.
Staff with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board say the closed classes at Sioux Narrows Public School and Valleyview Public School have reopened, under the direction of the Northwestern Health Unit.
All students and staff members were able to return to their classrooms, however, the COVID-19 outbreak designation remains in place at Valleyview until further notice.
A COVID-19 outbreak is defined as having two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have been acquired within the school setting.
The KPDSB first reported exposures at Valleyview Public School on November 20. As a result, one classroom was closed.
By November 23, the KPDSB said the NWHU’s investigation had found an additional COVID-19 exposure impacting the closed classroom, but that exposure had plausible and likely sources outside of the school
The NWHU is reminding families that the most common risk of COVID-19 in our area has always been, and continues to be, contact with people in private homes. The NWHU recommends continuing to practice physical distancing when getting together with people outside of your household and masking when distancing is not possible.
All students and families are reminded to use Ontario’s COVID-19 school and childcare screening tool daily before attending school. Anyone with symptoms of illness is asked to stay home.