COVID-19 cases in city schools.Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) director Manny Figueiredo says rules to limit the spread of the coronavirus set out by the province for the first semester did worry him, since schools are essentially a social setting for kids and adults.“I was worried about these new safety measures, the protocols: masking, the hand sanitizing, the physical distancing, Figueiredo said. “But the students have adapted.” Hamilton’s medical officer urges limiting close contacts amid spike in COVID-19 cases Contact tracing, having class lists and investigations after positive tests have become a critical part of school life, according to Figueiredo, considering HWDSB schools have over 40,000 attending in-person.