With Simcoe County students heading home for a two-week break starting after today’s bell, administrators are noting a major uptick in COVID-19 cases, with no areas of Simcoe County left untouched by the virus.
Lonnie Bolton, superintendent of student services with the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, provided an update on COVID-19 cases in local Catholic schools to trustees during the last board meeting of 2021 on Wednesday, providing startling statistics on the number of cases this year, compared to the same time frame in 2020.
“Our case management system is exceedingly overwhelmed,” Bolton told trustees.
As of Dec. 15, there have been 261 COVID-19 cases in schools in the Catholic board since September.
In September, the board saw 20 cases, in October there were 69, in November there were 87 and in December so far, 85.
For comparison, in between September 2020 and December 2020 the board had 66 cases total.
“That means we’re trending at four times the cases,” said Bolton.
In December 2020, the board saw about one and a half new cases a day. Right now, Bolton said the board is seeing about 7.7 new cases a day.
“It’s escalating in December with five times as many cases as last year. It’s quite the significant trend jump,” said Bolton.
Of the 261 cases in the Catholic board since September, Bolton said 152 have been in the Barrie area, 64 in Bradford, 19 in Georgian Bay, four in Georgian West, three in Muskoka, 13 in New Tecumseth and six in Orillia.
“Every family of schools in this community has now been impacted this year,” he said.
Of the 50 total schools in the board (41 elementary and nine secondary), 31 elementary school and six secondary schools have been impacted by COVID-19.
Currently, there are 10 active outbreaks at schools in the Catholic board.
Village Media requested COVID-19 statistics from the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB), however were told the public board has not compiled that level of historic data, opting instead to track active cases only.
“We continue to report cases on the advisory board as directed by the ministry when the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit informs us of cases,” said Sarah Kekewich, manager of communications with the Simcoe County District School Board.
The SCDSB oversees 87 elementary schools and 15 secondary schools.
Currently, the SCDSB is dealing with active COVID-19 outbreaks at 22 of its schools according to the health unit. For comparison, on Dec. 17, 2020, the board was dealing with active outbreaks at four of its schools.
