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COVID outbreaks declared at two Barrie elementary schools

Health unit declares outbreaks at Warnica and Willow Landing in Barrie's south end
2020-11-16 Warnica Public School RB 4
Warnica Public School is located on Warnica Road in south-end Barrie. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

Two Barrie schools were declared in outbreak by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit over the weekend, which the health unit reported to the public Monday afternoon.

There are now three cases at Warnica Elementary School, which is located on Warnica Road in south-end Barrie, near Yonge Street and Big Bay Point Road. One classroom is closed. The health unit declared an outbreak at the school on Nov. 21.

There are two cases at Willow Landing Elementary School, which is also located in the city's south end, on Big Bay Point Road. No classrooms are closed, however the health unit declared an outbreak on Nov. 22.

An outbreak at a school is defined by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit as two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff (or other visitors) with an epidemiological link (i.e. shared space or objects with each other), within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have contracted COVID-19 in the school (including transportation and before/after school care).

Nine new COVID cases at schools were reported by local school boards since Friday, with new cases also at St. Joseph's Catholic School and St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in Barrie, and Holy Family Catholic School in Alliston. Outbreaks are still ongoing at Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School and Our Lady of Grace Catholic School, both in Angus.

The schools all remain open.

The school boards and the health unit have not reported whether the individuals are students or staff members.

Simcoe County school cases (as of Nov. 23)

  • Sept. 15 – Twin Lakes Secondary School, Orillia (teacher, recovered)
  • Sept. 18 – St. John Vianney Catholic School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Sept. 20 – Father F.X. O’Reilly Catholic School, Tottenham (individual, recovered)
  • Sept. 21 – Bear Creek Secondary School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Sept. 24 – Sister Catherine Donnelly Catholic School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Sept. 27 – St. Angela Merici Catholic School, Bradford (individual, recovered)
  • Sept. 28 – Admiral Collingwood Elementary School, Collingwood (individual, recovered)
  • Sept. 28 – St. Paul’s Catholic School, Alliston (individual, two classrooms closed, recovered)
  • Sept. 29 – Worsley Elementary School, Wasaga Beach (individual, recovered)
  • Sept. 29 – Goodfellow Public School, Innisfil (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 1 – Bradford District High School, Bradford (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 2 – St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 2 – École Secondaire Catholique Nouvelle-Alliance, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 7 – St. John Paul II Catholic School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 8 – St. Bernadette Catholic School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 8 – Pine River Elementary School, Angus (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 9 – St. Antoine Daniel Catholic School, Victoria Harbour (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 12 – Collingwood Collegiate Institute, Collingwood (individual, classroom closed, recovered)
  • Oct. 12 – Father F.X. O’Reilly Catholic School, Tottenham (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 13 – St. Marie of the Incarnation, Bradford, (two individuals, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Oct. 14 – Innisdale Secondary School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 16 – Barrie North Secondary School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 16 – Tecumseth Beeton Elementary School, Beeton (two individuals, recovered)
  • Oct. 19 – St. Peter's Catholic Secondary School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 23 – Tecumseth Beeton Elementary School, Beeton (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 23 – St. Joseph's Catholic High School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 25 – Bradford District High School, Bradford (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Oct. 25 – St. Paul's Catholic School, Alliston (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Oct. 25 – Nantyr Shores Secondary School, Innisfil (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 28 – Alcona Glen Elementary School, Innisfil (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 28 – St. Angela Merici Catholic School, Bradford (individual, recovered)
  • Oct. 29 – Bradford District High School, Bradford (individual, recovered, outbreak declared)
  • Nov. 2 – Hillcrest Public School, Barrie (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 2 – Innisfil Central Public School, Lefroy (three individuals, recovered)
  • Nov. 2 – Tay Shores Public School, Victoria Harbour (two individuals, two classrooms closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 2 – Banting Memorial High School (one individual, two classrooms closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 2 – Bradford District High School (one individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 3 – Hillcrest Public School, Barrie (individual, outbreak declared, recovered)
  • Nov. 3 – Holy Family Catholic School, Alliston (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 4 – St. Charles Catholic School, Bradford (two individuals, two classrooms closed)
  • Nov. 5 – Fred C. Cook Elementary School, Bradford (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 5 – Portage View Public School, Barrie (individual, recovered)
  • Nov. 9 – Fieldcrest Elementary School, Bradford (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 9 – Bear Creek Secondary School, Barrie (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 9 – Nantyr Shores Secondary School, Innisfil (individual, recovered)
  • Nov. 10 – Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School, Angus (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 10 – Our Lady of Grace Catholic School, Angus (individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 11 – St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School, Bradford (individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 12 – Fieldcrest Elementary School, Bradford (individual, one classroom closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 12 – Bradford District High School, Bradford (individual, recovered)
  • Nov. 12 – Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School (two individuals, three classrooms closed)
  • Nov. 13 – Fieldcrest Elementary School, Bradford (individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 13 – St. Paul's Catholic School, Alliston (individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 16 – Warnica Public School, Barrie (individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 16 – Bradford District High School, Bradford (one individual, two classrooms closed, recovered)
  • Nov. 16 – Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School, Angus (two individuals, one classroom closed, outbreak declared)
  • Nov. 17 – Boyne River Public School, Alliston (one individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 18 – Monsignor Clair Catholic School, Barrie (one individual)
  • Nov. 18 – Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School, Angus (one individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 19 – Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School, Angus (one individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 19 – Boyne River Public School, Alliston (one individual, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 20 – Willow Landing Elementary School, Barrie (one individual)
  • Nov. 23 – St. Joseph's Catholic High School, Barrie (two individuals, one classroom closed)
  • Nov. 23 – St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, Barrie (two individuals, two classrooms closed)
  • Nov. 23 – Holy Family Catholic School, Alliston (two individuals, two classrooms closed)
  • Nov. 23 – Warnica Elementary School, Barrie (two individuals, outbreak declared)
  • Nov. 23 – Willow Landing Elementary School, Barrie (one individual, outbreak declared)

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Jessica Owen

About the Author: Jessica Owen

Jessica Owen is an experienced journalist working for Village Media since 2018, primarily covering Collingwood and education.
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