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
'Most of the city is evacuating': Gridlock on Alberta highway after evacuation order in Fort McMurray
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Sask. police seize 1.5M pieces of evidence, lay 60 more charges in child exploitation case
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
'Inappropriate' behaviour shuts down Dublin to New York City portal
Less than a week after two public sculptures featuring a livestream between Dublin, Ireland, and New York City debuted, 'inappropriate behaviour' in real-time interactions between people in the two cities has prompted a temporary shutdown.
Oilers starting Calvin Pickard in goal for Game 4 vs. Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers will start Calvin Pickard in net Tuesday for Game 4 of their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks.
Biden administration moving ahead on US$1 billion arms package for Israel, AP sources say
The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than US$1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, two congressional aides said Tuesday.
King Charles III unveils his first official portrait since his coronation
King Charles III has unveiled the first portrait of the monarch completed since he assumed the throne, a vivid image that depicts him in the bright red uniform of the Welsh Guards against a background of similar hues.
Full List Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Alberta announces the 4 health agencies that will replace AHS later this year
The province has released more information on its plan to break up Alberta Health Services and replace it with four sector-based health agencies.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.