Schools closed in Toronto, Peel Region and Guelph while the York Region District School Board continues to press to transfer all its students to online study.
At the same time, the Ontario government promises that it will implement increased infection prevention and control measures to ensure the safety of students who continue to attend their schools in the province. Premier Ford announced Wednesday that in Toronto and the Peel Region, in the neighbourhoods where there are the most infections, teachers will be vaccinated during the Spring Break. All teachers and school staff who provide daily support to students with special educational needs will instead be able to be immunized against Covid from April 12, even if their schools are not in hotspots. And also over the next week all teachers, students and asymptomatic parents can undergo the Covid-19 test at pharmacies and evaluation centres.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced a series of measures to be implemented from 12 to 18 April. “Before it was not possible to do this – said Lecce referring to tampons for those who do not show any signs of infection – in fact it was necessary to be symptomatic in order to go to an evaluation centre”. In addition, the minister added, the province “will provide and impose on-site self-screening of students and staff” at all schools in the province.
And with the arrival of the beautiful spring days Lecce returns to consider the possibility “where you can” to have lessons outdoors. “It is certain that he helped us in the autumn – said Lecce – we are really urging outdoor teaching in our parks, in our playgrounds to make this learning process positive and safe”.
Schools will also be subjected to “deep cleaning” before students return to class from Spring Break: students and staff will have to participate in “refresher courses” on safety protocols upon return. These are measures with which the government hopes to stem the spread of Covid in schools in the province. “Keeping schools open is critical to the mental health and well-being of children and young people,” Premier Ford said several times in recent days.
And after the 719 new cases recorded two days ago in schools in the province, yesterday there were 301 infections – 245 students and 56 teachers – raising the total to 14,478. There are 1,294 schools with active outbreaks of the virus and 62 schools currently closed. “Nothing is more important than keeping Ontario schools safe and open for students, staff and their families – reads the press release signed by Minister Stephen Lecce – our students deserve a safe return to their classrooms on April 19 so they can continue to learn, and we are committed to achieving that goal.”
The promises to the school trustees of the York Region District School Board, the York branch of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation are not enough, and they are calling on York Region Medical Officer of Health Karim Kurji to close schools. “Since the beginning of the third wave of the pandemic, we have seen a dramatic increase in Covid-19 cases in our region, including the most serious variants – wrote OCTA York Unit acting president Mike Totten in Kurji – the situation is even more serious due to the government’s refusal to put into practice the much-needed health and safety measures, including smaller classes to facilitate physical distance, better ventilation, and testing. Please intervene where the government has failed.”
