Despite the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continuing to rise in Ontario, both Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore say every precaution is being taken as students prepare to return to classrooms Monday.
“While the risk of transmission in school settings can never be eliminated, it can be reduced or mitigated through public health measures,” Dr. Moore said.
Lecce and Dr. Moore laid out the steps being taken by the province:
• 3.9 million rapid antigen tests being distributed to students (two per elementary school student and staff member)
• school-based vaccination clinics that would require parental consent for student vaccinations
• 9 million non-fitted N95 masks to be distributed to schools throughout the province
• 3,000 more HEPA units to improve air filtration in classrooms
• increasing the number of retired teachers and teacher candidates available to work to fill in for absences, as well as increasing the number of days retired teachers and can work
• using schools’ remaining supply of PCR test collection kits for students and staff who become symptomatic while at school
Dr. Moore said schools would gradually move away from PCR test kits to rapid antigen tests as more the latter become available. As the province receives more rapid tests, Lecce said they would be distributed to high school students and staff as well. In the meantime, they will be available on an as needed, symptomatic basis.
Dr. Moore also said classes would not be shut down if there are multiple cases in a class, as had been the practice in the past. That would only happen if a class reached 30 per cent absenteeism.
Questioned about the schools no longer being required to report cases to parents, Dr. Moore said the province will continue to report hospital admissions provincially and by region for students ages 5-11 and 12-17.
He said making rapid tests available will allow parents to test at home and get results quicker than a PCR test, allowing them to make the decision to keep their child at home.
“Because of the turnaround of PCR test, we don’t want them having wait four or five days for results,” he said, adding that they also want to keep save PCR tests for health care, retirement and long-term care home workers and residents.
Lecce said the school-based vaccination clinics have proven successful in increasing vaccination rates. He said Ontario’s could be up and running by next Friday.
“Looking and other jurisdictions, including Newfoundland that has adopted a more in-school during hours of instruction, that type of vaccine access could be made available,” Of course, it requires consent of parents, but the bottom line is more options for families to make it easier and reduce the barriers.”
Article From: The Star
Author: Herb Garbutt
