Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health says preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools starts at home.
Dr. Barbara Yaffe said she believes parents should encourage their kids to wear a mask, not just those in grades four and up as mandated by the province.
She said there are other precautions parents should take before sending their child out the door.
"They should be screening their child in the mornings for any symptoms of COVID-19, and I think the Ministry of Education will be providing them with a checklist or online screening tool that will assist with that. It's important to make sure if the child has any symptoms of COVID-19 that they not go to school."
As a common-sense precaution, kids should avoid sharing masks with friends. Schools will also have extra cleaning measures and physical distancing in place.
Dr. Yaffe said there's no magic number for a safe class size. It depends on the dimensions of the room and the ability to keep at least two metres apart.
If someone's child has COVID-19 symptoms, they should consult their physician and get tested if necessary. They could be required to isolate for 14 days.
Dr. Yaffe said cohorting is another key piece. She said some students may be in multiple groups if they have to attend daycare or ride the bus. Schools will have lists of who every student is in contact with on a daily basis to make it easier to trace the virus.
With a low active caseload, Dr. Yaffe said Sarnia-Lambton is in a good position but she warns against becoming complacent.
She said models suggest Ontario could either have a big second wave of the virus, multiple small waves or continue the current slow burn.