THUNDER BAY - Students across Ontario will not be remaining home for an extended winter break despite cases of COVID-19 across the province continuing to rise.
Minister of Education Stephen Lecce issued a statement via social media on Wednesday where he said an extended winter break is not necessary.
“We have consulted with the Chief Medical Officer of Health as well as the Public Health Measures Table and have determined than an extended winter holiday is not necessary at this time, given Ontario’s strong safety protocols, low level of transmission and safety within our schools,” the statement reads.
Earlier this week, the provincial government hinted at the possibility of an extended winter break for students due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Ontario.
Lecce added the province has been working to minimize outbreaks in Ontario schools and will continue to build on the progress of the back to school plan and will continue to work to ensure students can still attend class every day.
“As we safeguard the progress we’ve made in our schools, we will continue to closely monitor all indicators, trends, and numbers to protect the safety of our children, their families, and all frontline staff in Ontario’s schools,” Lecce said.
As of Wednesday, there are 670 schools in Ontario with a reported cases of COVID-19. To date, 3,626 total cases of COVID-19 have been reported in schools, with 109 new cases reported on Thursday.
In Thunder Bay, several schools have reported positive cases of COVID-19 earlier this month, but health officials said there was no evidence of transmission among the student body.
Ontario reported 1,416 new cases of COVID-19 and 32 deaths on Wednesday, while the Thunder Bay District Health Unit reported three new cases.
