Unvaccinated students won't face any different rules within class setting, Ontario confirms
Unvaccinated children will not face different rules than their vaccinated peers within the school setting this September, the Ontario government says.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore took questions together for the first time on Wednesday since the back-to-school plan was released yesterday.
Lecce and Moore said COVID-19 vaccines will not be mandatory for students and school staff who are eligible, despite saying they are the province’s best chance at avoiding a fourth wave.
"I do not anticipate a different approach, whether a child is vaccinated or unvaccinated on any activities within the school setting," Moore said Wednesday.
Moore said school staff will also not be told which students are vaccinated or unvaccinated.
"We would not be knowledgeable of their immune status and there shouldn’t be any barriers or stigmatization of children who have not received a vaccine in any way."
Moore, who said the government is still working to finalize their COVID-19 outbreak management plan, previously hinted that unvaccinated students could face a longer isolation period if they are exposed to the disease.
It's unclear if that will still be part of the plan. The government said it is "forthcoming."
Lecce said Wednesday the government is not mandating vaccines because they want to "respect the choices individuals will make."
However, Lecce added he would do whatever he can to advocate for people to get the shot.
Lecce and Moore also announced an additional $25 million in funding, which they say will go towards improving air quality within schools when students return to class.
Instructional spaces without mechanical ventilation will be given HEPA filter units, including in kindergarten classes where masks are not mandatory.
Lecce also announced on Wednesday an additional update to the back-to-school guidance, saying that high-contact sports will now be allowed indoors.
The guidance released on Tuesday did not allow for that.
Moore said Wednesday he expects COVID-19 cases to rise in late September and through October and wants everyone to be vaccinated to avoid a large surge in cases.
"Our numbers are slowly going up," Moore said. "Immunization is the answer."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, Ontario police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
Closing arguments heard in trial for Sask. dad accused of abducting daughter
Closing arguments were heard Thursday morning in the case of Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter in 2021 to keep her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.