More than 900 TDSB staff are working in schools while waiting on vaccine exemptions
More than 900 unvaccinated Toronto District School Board (TDSB) employees are working with students past the board’s deadline while awaiting vaccine exemptions.
According to the school board, 920 unvaccinated staff are still in schools with children. While the board posts the vaccination status of their staff publicly online, they have not previously disclosed information on how many of these employees are still working in schools.
In total, 1,093 staff members have asked for medical or creed-based exemptions to the TDSB's vaccine policy. Staff had until Nov. 19 to get their first dose of COVID-19, and until Dec. 19 to receive their second to be considered fully vaccinated.
TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird said that reviewing medical and creed-based exemption requests is “complex” and is taking longer than anticipated. “Final decisions on many of these requests will be shared in the upcoming weeks,” Bird said.
In many cases, Bird said the process requires the board to “gather more information from the employees.”
As of Nov. 25., the TDSB had approved four medical exemption requests and zero creed-based requests, according to data on staff vaccination status.
“It’s important to note that any unvaccinated staff member must meet the Ministry of Education requirement to conduct rapid antigen testing three times per week,” Bird said.
At the moment, there is no indication that COVID-19 cases discovered in Toronto schools are linked to unvaccinated staff members, Bird said. “We're making sure that we're keeping track of those staff and they're testing to make sure that they aren't sick when they're coming in.”
According to the TDSB, over 88 per cent of their staff members are fully vaccinated.
“As we move through this process that number will continue to go up,” Bird said.
Anyone who applied for a medical exemption and is denied will have 45 days from when they were denied to get a vaccine dose, and will have to get tested bi-weekly during that time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.