The Grey Bruce Health Unit is working with Bluewater School Board Board to address an outbreak of COVID-19 associated within Holland Chatsworth Central School, in Holland Centre. Two confirmed cases are identified with this outbreak.

An outbreak is declared when there is evidence of transmission from person to person within the school environment. Any involved bus routes are deemed low risk. Our COVID-19 Case and Contact Management Team will continue to monitor and manage this outbreak.

The individual(s) with COVID-19 have been contacted directly by our COVID-19 Case and Contact Management Team. We have worked with the individuals and the school, along with the school board and bus company and have identified all others, both in and out of the school environment, who may have been exposed and have determined their risk level. Any cohorts that have been identified as contacts to the case(s) have been excluded from school at this time.

Those NOT contacted by Public Health need not take any additional steps including asymptomatic testing.

Public Health is the lead in all outbreaks and case management. Public Health will contact you if you have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, based on a thorough risk assessment completed only by Public Health.

Determining who has had close contact is a decision that can only be made by Public Health. Anyone at heightened risk of COVID-19 transmission due to close contact to a person with COVID-19 will be contacted by Public Health within 24 hours of the investigation.

The Grey Bruce Health Unit will direct those considered at risk regarding testing requirements and recommendations (e.g., timing). There is no value in anyone being tested before they are notified and instructed to do so by Public Health. Results of early testing are unreliable and place individuals at risk of more testing than is required.

As a reminder to the public, if you develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please proceed to your nearest assessment centre for testing.

All contact tracing and determination of individual and community risk is made by Public Health. This is true of all cases, whether in schools, workplaces or the community. A health care provider or school official cannot make this decision.

This outbreak highlights the need to ensure that all eligible individuals get the COVID-19 vaccine. All individuals turning five this year and older can get their COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine remains the most effective way to prevent COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and severe complications related to COVID-19.

source: media release, Grey Bruce Health Unit