St. Clair College Student Tests Positive For COVID-19

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A student at St. Clair College has tested positive for COVID-19, officials announced Monday evening.

Officials say several hundred students have been attending the college during the spring and summer to complete their 2019-20 studies in limited-attendance labs, workshops and clinics, and the college has implemented an extensive COVID-19 pandemic plan in consultation with local public health authorities.

John Fairley, Vice President, College Communications and Community Relations says the plan for the limited reopening was approved as part of a pilot project authorized by the provincial Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

He says the plan has numerous protocols and practices, enforces physical distancing, mask wearing, and restricted group gathering, and provides personal protective devices for students and staff.

Fairley said in an email the plan requires students and staff to fill out an online questionnaire each day in order to obtain access to campus. He says the questionnaire asks about possible contact with COVID-19 carriers and viral settings, and if the person filling out the questionnaire is experiencing any symptoms. Based on the responses to the questionnaire, Fairley says students and staff are either granted or denied permission to attend the college’s campuses on a given day.

“On behalf of the entire St. Clair community of students and staff, I wish a speedy and thorough recovery to the student affected,” said St. Clair President Patti France. “The larger lesson we’re taking from this is that our pandemic plan and all of its related procedures have been put in place for a very good reason, demanding conscientious recognition and adherence by students and staff.  Our collective well-being is dependent upon individual behaviour, so we each have an essential role to play to protect ourselves, our classmates and our colleagues.”

Fairley says the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has determined the transmission risk associated with the confirmed case case is low, and the classmates of the case have been advised to self-monitor for 14 days while continuing their in-person attendance at St. Clair.