In Class Learning

The province is changing the way that parents are notified of a potential COVID-19 outbreak.

Ahead of the return of in-class learning on Monday, January 17th, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said Wednesday that any notification will go out when approximately 30 per cent of students in the school are absent.

It will come in the form of a joint letter from the local medical officer of health and the principal.

Moore stressed that the threshold will not automatically trigger a school closure, but a pivot to remote learning could be considered.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce unveiled two COVID-19 rapid tests will be provided to each student and staff member, which equals 3.9 million rapid tests to school boards across Ontario.

An additional 1.2 million rapid tests are expected to be distributed during the week of January 24.

On Tuesday Ontario unveiled the elimination of reporting cases and only utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests for students and staff who become symptomatic at school.

Gearing up for the resumption of in-class learning next week.

In a emailed statement to Acadia News, a spokesperson for the Education Minister stressed that there are improvements to ventilation, personal protective equipment and vaccinations coming from Queen’s Park:

We have now shipped 9.1 million non-fitted N95 masks for staff and over 4 million three-ply masks for students, and will regularly send new shipments over the coming weeks and months, with masking being mandatory within Ontario schools.

We have accelerated access to booster shots for education and child care staff by standing up over 10 more clinics in the past several days alone, in addition to providing access through mass-vaccination sites, pharmacies and other dedicated clinics.

We are deploying an additional 3,000 standalone HEPA filter units to schools boards on top of the existing 70,000 HEPA filter units and other ventilation devices already in schools.

We are continuing take home PCR testing eligibility for symptomatic elementary and secondary students, and education staff, and are working to make more rapid antigen tests available to schools and child care centres.

The province unveiled changes Tuesday in the schools, which includes the elimination of reporting cases and only utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests for students and staff who become symptomatic at school.

In the meantime, Ontario’s Health Minister is explaining some of the rationales for re-opening the province’s schools next week.

Christine Elliott says part of it was to get the teachers ready.

“One thing that we did need was extra time in order to be able to have the teachers be able to come in for their second dose and in some cases their booster doses as well,” says Elliott.

Elliott adds they were waiting for the rapid tests and the PPE to arrive before they re-opened the schools.

“We also needed to get the rapid tests in from the federal government. They are just starting to come in now. We’ve also received millions more in masks…the N95, unfitted masks that are going into schools. So some of it we just needed a bit more time to get those provisions in place.”

Elliott says they are taking every step they possibly can take to make sure schools are safe for the children to return to.

Stephen Lecce is expected to unveil more alongside the Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore on Wednesday.

(With Files From Tim Davidson: Kenora)