BARRIE, ONT. -- Students in Simcoe County public schools are finishing up their first week of school on Friday after a six-month hiatus, while Simcoe Muskoka Catholic students continue to gradually make their way back.
By Monday, all returning students will be in their classrooms with new safety measures and protocols in place to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
Still, despite the best efforts, health experts have said cases in schools are inevitable. "There may be the odd outbreak that we hope will be contained, and public health will be helping to manage that quickly," said Dr. Lisa Simon, Associate Medical Officer of Health with the Simcoe Muskoka health unit.
Since reopening Ontario schools, the province introduced a public website to show all the COVID-19 cases in schools and licenced childcare centres.
The website lists which schools have cases and whether its a staff member or student infected.
So far, the province reports 13 schools with cases, four students - all in Ottawa - and nine staff members tested positive since being back in the classroom this week.
There are no Simcoe Muskoka schools or licenced childcare centres on the list. The website will be updated daily and include a summary of cases, the province says.
Check the government's COVID-19 cases in schools and childcare centres here. There are 4,828 schools across Ontario.
The province is reporting the highest number of new COVID-19 infections in months on Friday, with 213 new cases over the past 24 hours.
Today also marks exactly six months since the World Health Organization declared this a global pandemic.
