Windsor-Essex medical health officer wants masks back in schools

Students in school in Windsor, Ont. (Source: Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board / YouTube)

The acting medical officer of health for Windsor-Essex is advising local school boards to make face masks mandatory again in classrooms.

Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said bringing back the indoor mask policy for schools would help reduce transmission of COVID-19.

"I think were we are in the pandemic today, school boards should institute a masking policy," he said Thursday. "It is one measure, it is one component of trying to attenuate the increasing burden of disease and that should be re-evaluated on a regular and periodic basis."

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting an increase in the virus for a fourth straight week. There was a 22.7 per cent increase in high-risk cases for the week of April 4 to April 10, compared to the previous week.

Nesathurai said he believes school boards have the discretion to implement a policy for masks.

"Requiring young people to wear masks in school will reduce transmission in school and that's worth while but really, young people when we reduce transmission in school, they're breaking the chain of transmission and the ultimate beneficiaries of breaking the chain of transmission include people that are currently unvaccinated," said Nesathurai.

The health unit is monitoring the burden of COVID-19 in the community and in schools.

"We are concerned about absenteeism in schools, we're also concerned about absenteeism among hospital staff as well,” he said.

Nesathurai said he would like the province to implement a province-wide mask policy. At this time, the health unit is not issuing its own orders for the region.

Trustees with the Greater Essex County District School Board told CTV News on Wednesday they will discuss re-implementing a mask mandate for its students.