While the Leeds-Grenville-Lanark district remains in the green “prevent” level of the province’s COVID-19 framework, one community north of Kingston is taking more steps to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Westport has added some pre-emptive measures after a school in the village declared an outbreak.
“We have been COVID-free in the village since March, and with the outbreak in one of the schools, we have done the things that we feel we need to do,” said Robin Jones, Westport’s mayor.
To prevent people from gathering, as of now the town hall is closed, while the library and the community centre are also off-limits.
The move comes after an outbreak of the novel coronavirus was recently declared at St. Edward Catholic School in the village.
The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario has said there are over five cases at the school, but haven’t given an exact number.
Jones says the measures make sense.
“We’ve closed those three building for 14 days,” Jones said. “We’ll probably know more about how widely spread the virus is within that period of time.
“So that either means we can open them up on the 21st or re-assess and leave them closed.”
There was also a case at Rideau Vista School also in the village, however, it remains open. Jones says it’s another case of it’s better to be safe than sorry.