The way case numbers are being reported and what’s being counted is changing.
Ontario isn’t confirming covid cases the same way since Ontario residents are being asked to presume that they have covid 19 when they have the onset of symptoms.
The government has also indicated that PCR tests will no longer need to be taken to confirm a case of the virus either.
This also comes with changes for reporting cases in schools. The Ontario Ministry of Health will no longer be reporting on case numbers coming from schools.
Given recent changes to case and contact management by the Ministry of Health and OCMOH, the ministry will suspend reporting of COVID-19 cases in schools. Further information will be shared shortly with school boards on reporting expectations of absences in schools and school closures due to COVID-19, in conjunction with educational and pediatric leaders.
The memo also indicated that instead of closing, schools could “combine classes and assign students to different classes to ensure supervision.” as well as plan for “rotating, planned remote learning days for schools if needed, up to one day per week,”. This is something that some schools did previously when all students were doing online learning.
The full memo can be read at the link provided.
Memo – Ministry of Education Update: Return to School – January 2022
At the time of publishing, Lakehead School Board Director of Education Ian Macrae, told Acadia news that the school board hasn’t received any information regarding the new shipment of masks (3-ply cloth and N95’s), or standalone HEPA filters.
Instead, he indicated that they were expecting more testing kits by the middle of January.
