Positive cases of COVID-19 at local schools will be handled the same as any other outbreak, according to Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed.
He addressed concerns about what would happened if a student or a teacher tested positive at the Windsor Essex County Board of Health meeting Thursday night.
Dr. Ahmed says a positive case would trigger a contact management investigation by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
"We would collect all that information; who was in attendance in that class, who the teacher worked with and all of those details and make a determination as to who needs to be self-isolating," he says.
That could change once upper levels of government finalize quarantine protocols, according to Dr. Ahmed
"A high-level plan recognizing that a lot of those details are coming down through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health; they have their own outbreak plan for the schools," added Dr. Ahmed.
He says there's no such thing as zero risk when it comes to a contagious disease.
"I won't say the system is perfect and you'll never have a case in the school, there will be cases in the school and there will be some implications and we just need to have all the systems in place," he added.
Parents are expected to ensure they check their kids for symptoms before sending them to school.
Education staff is also being relied upon to ensure they're healthy enough to be in the classroom.
The health unit has a back to school FAQ on its website that includes a symptom checklist.
Both the public and catholic school boards have released final drafts for their back to school plans.