The Grey Bruce Health Unit along with Bluewater School Board would like to announce that the outbreak of COVID-19 associated with Holland Chatsworth Central School, in Holland Centre was declared over by Public Health on Monday, December 13, 2021.

An outbreak is declared when there is evidence of transmission from person to person within the school environment. Only 3 people acquired the virus within the school, and 9 people who attend the school acquired the virus in the community, resulting in a total of 12 cases and 163 high risk contacts.

Dr. Ian Arra, Medical Officer of Health for Grey Bruce, said of the 2669 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Grey Bruce to date,  about a dozen acquired the virus "in a school environment”.   Grey Bruce Public Health has closed no schools during the pandemic.

In his media releases, Arra repeated his assertion that “Schools remain one of the safest places to work and attend during COVID-19 in Grey and Bruce. They are definitely safer than our homes”.

"The Grey Bruce Health Unit is available to answer your questions at any time during regular work hours. Information is also available on our website.

· www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca

· Schools and Childcare Centres (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca)

· 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca) 

School closures can occur at the discretion of the School Boards, or at the direction of the local Medical Officer of Health. The Holland-Chatsworth situation did not meet the criteria for school closure from a Public Health regulatory and risk perspective, nor did St. Mary's High School.

"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," wrote Dr. Arra.

source: media release, GBHU