New COVID-19 cases in Regina schools

Classes had barely begun on Tuesday morning when new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in multiple Regina schools.

In a media release Tuesday morning, Regina Public Schools alerted the public that individual students at both Arcola Community School and Sheldon-Williams Collegiate had tested positive.

Confirmation of the positive tests was provided by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Students and classes in close contact with the infected student at Arcola Community School will be moving to remote learning and cannot return to the school until Dec. 11. The school board says it has informed close contacts with Sheldon-Williams students, providing information about self-isolation.

Many schools throughout Regina have reported positive cases in recent weeks. On Nov. 29, Grant Road School was closed completely and classes moved to online learning. Students are expected to return on Dec. 7.

Speaking to reporters after Monday’s throne speech, Premier Scott Moe said the provincial government had expected cases to be discovered in schools, and that the Saskatchewan Health Authority is working to figure out where cases have come from. He praised school divisions, school employees, teachers, parents and students for working to stop the spread of the pandemic.