Millions of rapid COVID-19 tests to be distributed when Ontario reopens schools

The Ontario government is putting COVID-19 to the test to get two million schoolchildren back in the classroom next Monday.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced on Wednesday that, starting next week, millions of rapid antigen tests will be provided to teachers and staff in schools, nurseries and children in nurseries, as well as students.

But local public health units will only notify families when absences at their schools reach 30 percent, though that threshold includes all reasons for absenteeism, not just the highly contagious variant of Omicron, given limits on testing for COVID-19 in laboratory that the government establishes. previously enacted.

The plan is for everyone to initially receive two rapid tests, and officials say the goal is to provide a stable supply to schools and daycare centers.

Queen’s Park is sending out 3.9 million rapid tests this week, with a further 1.2 million expected next week.

Lecce was accompanied by Dr. Kieran Moore, the province’s medical director of health, at the press conference in the legislative building.

As the Star first reported, Ontario students will return to school on Monday, a fortnight after Premier Doug Ford switched to virtual learning due to a spike in Omicron cases.

In-person classes were scheduled to resume on January 5, but Ford announced the COVID-19 circuit breaker two days earlier.

Ontario students have spent more time learning online than any other Canadian province or US state, some 27 weeks since the pandemic hit 96 weeks ago.

Virtual learning will continue to be available for those students and parents who want it.

Parents and pediatric experts, including those at Sick Kids and CHEO in Ottawa, have urged Ford to allow in-person classes to resume because of the mental health toll on children.

Last Friday, 136 health, business and community leaders wrote an open letter in the Star and other Torstar publications imploring the prime minister to reopen schools.

The province has distributed 9.1 million N95 respirator masks to school boards for staff and an additional four million three-layer masks for Ontario’s two million students.

Additionally, 3,000 HEPA air filters are being installed in classrooms in addition to the 70,000 currently in schools.

Cathy Abraham, president of the Ontario Association of Public School Boards, said the shipments of additional N95s and HEPA air filters are encouraging, but warned teacher absences will be a challenge.

Mindful of that, the province has given the green light for student teachers in their second year of university to supply each other and retired teachers can now take 95 days of supply work instead of 50.

The government now says first-year student teachers will be able to replace them.

Last school year, some 3,400 student teachers worked in Ontario classrooms.

Boards of education will be able to resort to one day a week of online learning or combine classes if there is a shortage of staff.

In order to increase vaccination rates among children ages five to 11, given that less than half have received their first vaccination, schools are being asked to operate on-site clinics before, during and after school .

Limited PCR testing will be available in schools for students and staff showing symptoms of COVID-19, continuing an initiative that began in November.

Robert Benzie is the bureau chief for Star’s Queen’s Park and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie