Today, Dr. Nicola Mercer – Medical Officer of Health and CEO of WDG Public Health – met with the Directors of Education for school boards within Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph to discuss the troubling rise in cases of COVID-19 among children. Dr. Mercer – supported by all five local school boards – has decided to issue a Section 22 Order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
The Order directs all schools within Upper Grand District School Board, Wellington Catholic District School Board, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir located within Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph to cease in-person learning effective Wednesday, April 7, 2021. Schools would be eligible to return to in-person learning no sooner than Monday, April 19, 2021. This order does not impact childcare located in schools.
“I wish this step was not required,” said Dr. Mercer. “I know the tremendous burden this places on families in our region. The growing number of cases across the province and the severity of the COVID-19 variants of concern places all of us at risk.”
The Order will be issued on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 and will be available on Public Health’s website once issued.
“We continue to take aggressive steps on COVID-19 vaccinations; that is the only way out of this pandemic,” said Dr. Mercer. “Until we reach significant levels of vaccination, we remain at risk. I urge people to continue to follow public health guidelines.”
For more information on protecting schools and students from COVID-19, please visit the WDG Public Health website.
Media Contact
Danny Williamson
1-800-265-7293 ext. 4376
danny.williamson@wdgpublichealth.ca