Masks to stay optionally available in Ontario school rooms subsequent yr, Ministry of Schooling says

Facemasks will stay optionally available in Ontario colleges when college students return to the classroom this fall, the Ministry of Schooling says.

In a press release, a spokesperson for Minister of Schooling Stephen Lecce mentioned he was following “the knowledgeable recommendation of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Well being.”

The province lifted Ontario’s masks mandate in colleges on March 21, permitting college students to determine whether or not they wished to put on a masks indoors. The transfer got here as a part of a broader easing of measures, significantly masks necessities, through the spring.

Lecce has positioned emphasis on a return to “protected school rooms with out disruption” in September, asserting on the finish of July he wished extracurricular actions to run as regular when college resumes.

“That begins with being in school, on time, with the complete college expertise coupled with historic psychological well being and tutoring helps,” Lecce’s workplace mentioned.

Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of well being, mentioned Friday Ontario’s seventh COVID-19 wave had peaked.

“I feel we have already began on the downswing,” he mentioned.

Waiting for the autumn, a brand new wave of COVID-19 is probably not as unhealthy as Moore would have predicted a couple of months in the past, he mentioned, although colder climate pushing extra actions indoors does improve danger.

Colleges in Ontario will proceed to supply entry to speedy COVID-19 assessments.

“On the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer of Well being, now we have taken motion by deploying over 100K standalone HEPA filter models to school rooms and studying areas, enhanced cleansing, and continued entry to speedy antigen assessments,” Lecce’s spokesperson added.

— with information from The Canadian Press