Ontario needs to reopen schools for in-person learning as soon as possible, as the harm of school closures outweigh the likelihood of COVID-19 spreading among children, according to Canada’s largest child health hospital.
“The current school closures need to be as time-limited as possible. It is therefore imperative that bundled measures of infection prevention and control and a robust testing strategy are in place,” he stated.
On Jan. 20, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced in a statement that schools in seven public health units, with over 100,000 students, will also return to in-person learning on Jan. 25.
“Getting students back into class is our top priority. According to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and leading medical and scientific experts, including the Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario’s schools are safe places for learning,” he stated.
The hospital, in its guidance document, made sweeping recommendations on how to safely reopen schools—including access to non-invasive testing for all staff and students exposed to a confirmed COVID-19 patient.
For younger age students, it suggests “cohorting classes” as a primary strategy, rather than strict physical distancing, “because of the centrality of play and socialization to their development and learning.” More robust physical distancing and the use of non-medical masks are suggested for high school and middle school students, particularly in the highest risk/epidemiology regions.
