Ontario expands take-home COVID-19 tests to schools across the province
Ontario's education minister says take-home COVID-19 tests will be available at all public schools across the province starting in a few weeks.
The PCR tests have been available in schools in Toronto and Ottawa, and some other communities in a similar pilot project, but Stephen Lecce says now all students in public schools will have access.
If a student develops a COVID-19 symptom or is identified as a close contact of a positive case, they can pick up a test at their school, do it at home and drop it off at a community location for processing.
The government says it's aimed at alleviating some of the inconvenience in the testing process, eliminating the need for students and staff to book an appointment at an assessment centre to get tested.
Lecce is also announcing that unvaccinated education workers will have to undergo rapid antigen testing three times a week instead of two.
As well, the province is expanding a rapid testing program that would see students do regular tests over 10 days if officials are otherwise contemplating a whole school dismissal due to high cases.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.