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Post-holidays return to elementary schools to include virtual assemblies, daily COVID-19 screening checks

'Provincial data shows that school-aged children account for approximately one-third of COVID-19 cases, highlighting the importance of vaccinating this age group'
2021 09 16 students-covid-19-masks-pexels-norma-mortenson-8457300
Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health is advocating for students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Enhanced health and safety measures related to COVID-19 have been put in place by the Ministry of Education and endorsed by Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health.

While parents and guardians of elementary and secondary school students are familiar with one of the steps already in place — no in-person interviews or conferences with teachers, something that will continue following the break — some temporary measures will not take effect until the new year and are designed to help navigate the uptick in time students will spend indoors in the colder months and an anticipated increase in travel and gatherings over the holiday break, with a focus on the elementary school population.

Upon the return to school following the holidays, both elementary and secondary school students will be required to confirm to school officials they have completed the daily COVID-19 screening. Parents/guardians are encouraged to make sure the students have completed the screening tool before arrival at school each day. Students will confirm their fitness to attend classes for at least two weeks following their return to school in January.

For elementary schools only, there are two additional measures beginning in January. Assemblies will only be held virtually. And, lunches and breaks will be restricted to classroom cohorts where distancing is not possible between the respective cohorts.

The focus on elementary school students is an essential one, according to Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore. Only last month, the campaign to vaccinate children aged five to 12 began after the cohort was declared eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Moore writes in a letter to parents and guardians of students, "While over 85 percent of eligible Ontarians are now fully vaccinated, which has allowed the province to safely return to doing many of the things that we have missed over the course of the pandemic, children under 12 have not had the same access to the protection of the vaccine until now. Provincial data shows that school-aged children account for approximately one-third of COVID-19 cases, highlighting the importance of vaccinating this age group."

Moore says the data is clear, the COVID-19 vaccine is effective in preventing the spread of the virus and reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and death.

"Getting children vaccinated will provide them with a strong level of protection against COVID-19 and its variants. As we have witnessed with youth aged 12 and up, vaccines have been key to keeping schools open and safer for in-person learning and the activities they love. It will also help protect other family members, including younger children who cannot get vaccinated yet or older individuals who may have a lower immune response to the vaccines."

Moore adds, "While children who get infected with COVID-19 typically experience mild symptoms, some can get very sick, require hospitalization, and experience serious and long-lasting symptoms."


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