It's back-to-school today for students in Manitoba, though it looks a bit different this year due to the pandemic.

For starters, parents are encouraged to transport their children to school if they can. Children taking the bus will sit alone at their seats unless another person from the same household is with them.

Students will also have to wear masks while on the bus and Grades Four and above will be required to wear them in schools when physical distancing isn't possible.

Manitoba has said that if health officials confirm a positive case in a school, contact tracing is to begin within 24 hours. Close contacts of a student will be advised to self-isolate and whether testing is necessary. Health officials are also to inform the school and other parents will be notified if there was a risk the child was infectious inside the classroom.

Students spend their time in cohorts, keeping groups of students together. 

For schools, administrators and teachers have had to redesign classrooms and open spaces to try and ensure physical distancing is possible. That includes signage to show students where to line up and how far apart to stay. Schools have also had to think through how frequent hand washing can be carried out with hundreds of students.

Schedules have also been adjusted to prevent cohort groups from co-mingling, including staggering arrival and exit times for students.

With files from The Canadian Press.