Pediatrician Groups Call for Ontario Schools to Reopen by January 17 | The Canadian News

TORONTO – Three groups of pediatricians urge the Ontario government to resume face-to-face learning by January 17.

The Canadian Pediatric Society, the Pediatric Section of the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario Pediatric Alliance make the call in an open letter to Prime Minister Doug Ford and Minister of Education Stephen Lecce.

They say they understand that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is overwhelming hospitals and that governments must take action.

But, they say, “certain decisions and measures represent a much greater risk for children and young people than the virus itself.”

The Ontario government announced Monday that instead of resuming classes on January 5 as planned, students would learn remotely until at least January 17.

It was a sea change for the province, which had previously described school closings as a last resort.

Ontario has seen a record COVID-19 case count in recent weeks, and on Friday reported an all-time high of 2,472 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

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