Students in the province, who will resume class on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the district, will be able to attend class without wearing a mask, while in-person classes will take precedence over distance options.
Students will also have access to extracurricular activities for the first time since the start of the pandemic, as provincial Education Minister Stephen Lecce stressed the need for a return to the “full student experience” earlier in the summer.
Ontario’s top doctor announced last week that people who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to self-isolate for five days, but can return to work or school once their fever is gone and their other symptoms improve for at least 24 hours.
Moore said people should wear a mask for 10 days after the onset of symptoms and be up to date on their vaccinations, calling the combination a “realistic and practical” approach for work and school settings.
However, the Ontario Federation of Elementary Teachers and the Ontario Secondary Teachers Federation worry that allowing children and teachers to return to the classroom while they are still potentially contagious could cause the virus to spread faster in schools.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 6, 2022.
