Schools Expected To Remain Closed For In-Class Learning In Windsor Essex

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File photo of Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Medical Officer of Health for Windsor Essex

The Windsor Essex County Health Unit is planning to issue an order to prevent the anticipated return to in-class learning on Monday, January 11th, if the province does not make a decision to do so.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Medical Officer of Health for Windsor Essex, says he’s recommending keeping schools closed for in-person learning and continuing online learning, at least until the end of the provincial shutdown on January 23rd.

This graph, presented by the Health Unit, shows COVID-19 case history among local children.

In a presentation on Thursday, Dr. Ahmed said Windsor Essex has the highest weekly COVID-19 case rate in the province at 340.8 cases per 100,000 population, and between between December 11th and January 5th, 333 local children contracted COVID-19.

“We cannot jeopardize the safety of our children given the data we’ve seen in our community,” he said.

Dr. Ahmed said the Health Unit is looking for direction from the province prior to issuing an order of their own.

“We’ve had a number of calls, emails, exchanges, expressing our concerns and looking for some direction,” he said. “We are hoping there will be some central direction [from the province].”

He says if a decision doesn’t come from the province, the Health Unit will issue their own order.

“I’m waiting for the province to maybe look at all the data from every region in the province and make that decision, but if it comes to make that local recommendation, I’ve already made that, and I will move forward with the issuance of an order if needed,” he said.

“So bottom line is, from Monday, whether the province does it, or I do it, it will be an online learning model for our community.”