No decision on extracurriculars in Windsor-Essex as October looms

With October almost here, theacting medical officer of health has yet to make a recommendation on whenextracurricular activities can start upatWindsor-Essex schools.

"At this point, we'venot made any specific determination related to our recommendation but we continue to evaluate the data and continue to have discussions with our school board colleagues," Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said.

Ahead of the start of the school yearas COVID-19 case counts soaredtheWindsor-Essex County Health Unit recommended that school boards delay all extracurricular activitiesuntil at least October.

Speaking Wednesday at the health unit's final media briefing forthe month, Nesathurai said that104classes have been dismissed so far this school year due to exposures, and there have been17 school outbreaks.

By comparison, last year there were 50 classes dismissed,he said, though schools were shut down for several months.

But despite ahigh number outbreaks in Windsor-Essex insideschools as well as in other settings data shows that COVID-19 cases have been declining in the region.

Overall, 281COVID-19 cases are active in Windsor-Essex afterpeakingabove 500 last month. The health unit reported 29 new cases on Wednesday.

Currently, there are 23ongoing outbreaks across all settings.

Fourteen of the outbreaks areoccurring at workplaces:

• Fiveworkplaces are in the agricultural sector.
• Five workplaces are in the health care and social assistance sector.
• Threeworkplaces are in the manufacturing sector.
• Oneworkplace is ina public administration setting

Outbreaks are ongoing at five schools:

• St. Andre French Immersion Catholic School
• J. A. McWilliam Public School.
• Ford City Public School.
• Al-Hijra Academy.
• St. Joseph's Catholic High School.

The Village at St. Clair and La ChaumiereRetirement Residence, two seniors' facilities,are currently in outbreak. Two community outbreaks are also ongoing, one at St. Clair College and one at The Salvation Army.