Students in Southern Ontario won’t be returning to class Monday.
Today Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Williams said it’s due to rising case counts and community spread across the Province.
It means deferring in-class learning in the south for another two weeks until January 25th. The North begins near our region in North Bay.
“So, with much reluctance, I have asked, and (it’s been) agreed by the Premier and cabinet and the ministers to say ‘ok we will defer opening in southern Ontario’, ” said Williams. “Northern Ontario can open for in-class attendance because their community rates at this time are low.”
The new southern deferral aligns with the planned return of in-person learning for secondary school students in these regions.
A release from the Province further explains that returning students to school now with community transmission and positivity rates so high risks losing the hard-fought progress made in keeping schools and students safe. The Ministry of Education will continue to act on the best advice of medical and health experts to ensure that students in Northern Ontario are able to return to school safely and, when safe to do so, students in Southern Ontario as well.
Today Premier Doug Ford said there has been a 116-per-cent increase in the Covid-19 positivity rate among children aged 13 and younger compared to the rate recorded before the holiday season.
Joint statement here with @fordnation, @celliottability, Dr. Williams, and myself: https://t.co/exwIbVkDIN
— Stephen Lecce (@Sflecce) January 7, 2021
