Dr. Kieran Moore, medical officer of health at KFL&A Public Health, says two students at Kingston elementary schools have tested positive for COVID-19 variants of concern.
On Sunday, Moore said the students, one at Winston Churchill Public School and the other at St. John XXIII Catholic School, had tested positive for COVID-19. Both classes were sent home Wednesday after the health unit believed they had been in contact with a possible variant of concern.
Results from the variant testing came back positive for both cases, Moore said Monday.
According to the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, the health unit has ordered St. John XXIII to close due to a possible COVID-19 variant of concern. The students are studying online until further notice.
In a video update Sunday, Moore said a Grade 4 class with several bus cohorts at St. John XXIII was most at risk for exposure, but he asked for the public’s patience as contact tracers look into the matter.
In total, seven classes from various schools across the region were sent home last Wednesday, but as of Monday, all but St. John XXIII and Winston Churchill have been cleared of risk and were allowed to return to class this week.
Friday, Moore said the health unit had sent the seven cohorts home earlier in the week because the classes had links to two Queen’s University students who had tested positive for COVID-19.
A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at a Queen’s University residence last week, with 20 cases associated with the school as of Monday, 14 of which are variants of concern.
As for the two Queen’s students linked to the public school cases, the health unit made it clear over the weekend that the post-secondary students “had employment that involved teaching children.” In a video released Sunday, Moore said the Queen’s students were teaching swimming lessons to the younger students, which led to the positive cases of COVID-19 at Winston Churchill and St. John XXIII.
According to the Limestone District School Board, one class cohort at Winston Churchill along with a bus cohort is currently self-isolating due to the variant of concern outbreak.
“An additional bus cohort related to Winston Churchill PS was directed to self-isolate March 13, 2021 pending further investigation,” the board said.
Moore said there is also a teacher who has tested positive at a school in Frontenac. The Limestone District School Board is reporting that one staff member at Land O’Lakes Public School has tested positive for the virus. Moore says the health unit is still investigating that case.
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