According to Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, schools will only start on January 5th.
Ontario is postponing school start until January 5th to provide schools time to prepare for new public health measures.
New measures:
Updating the COVID-19 school and child care screener and requesting students, parents, and staff to monitor symptoms.
Providing non-fit-tested N95 masks as an alternative to medical/surgical masks for school and licenced child care workers, and an extra supply of high-quality three-ply cotton masks for students and children in January.
Adding 3,000 independent HEPA filter units to school boards’ current 70,000 HEPA filter units and ventilation systems.
Extending PCR testing eligibility for sick primary and secondary students, education professionals, and participating private and First Nation managed institutions.
Starting January, only low-contact indoor sports and safe extracurricular activities are allowed.
In January, school boards and child care must provide COVID-19 data.
Providing $304 million for second-semester hire of teachers, custodians, and mental health personnel.
Increasing data shows that typically healthy persons with COVID-19 are most infectious two days before and three days after symptoms begin, Ontario stated in a published statement
“Vaccinated individuals with COVID-19, as well as children under 12, must isolate for five days after symptoms appear. Their domestic connections must also isolate. Following necessary public health and safety procedures, including masking and physical separation, these persons may be released from isolation after five days. Non-family contacts must self-monitor for 10 days.
The province has 13,807 COVID-19 cases, a pandemic high.
The Omicron variation had a 54% reduced risk of hospitalisation and mortality than the Delta variant, according to Ontario Public Health. However, Omicron spreads far quicker than Delta
Starting Friday, PCR testing will only be given to “high-risk persons who are symptomatic or at danger of severe disease from COVID-19, including employees and residents in high-risk environments, as well as vulnerable groups. Those with minor symptoms should not seek testing.”
Indoor sports and performance facilities will be limited to 50% capacity or 1,000 persons, whichever is fewer. Theatres, not cinemas, are covered in the Dec. 31 revisions.
