3 days after in-person learning resumes, 3 HWDSB students test positive for COVID-19

Three days after in-person classes resumed, threestudents at Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) have tested positive for COVID-19.

A student atDundas Valley Secondary School,Earl Kitchener Elementary School andWestdaleSecondary School all respectivelytested positive for the virus on Wednesday.

All of them had close contacts, according to the school websites.

"School administrators will contact any students or staff identified as close contacts, who will self-isolate for 14 days," read the releases for each case.

HWDSB no longer reports when students or staff were last in class.

This comes after students spent weeks learning online instead of in a physical classroom. The province forced full remote learning over concerns the holidays would cause the virus to spread at higher rates due to people breaking rules to visit family and friends.

Hamilton's medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, said while the plan to reopen schools is provincial, she supported the decision to reopen right now, and has previously said schools are the best place for students to be.