Simcoe County schools will be dropping their mask mandate following March break, although public board officials say students and staff will still be able to make the choice for themselves whether to don them.
Earlier today (March 9), Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, revealed the province's new longer-term approach to easing COVID-19 restrictions. Starting March 21, most masking mandates will end, including in schools. All masking measures will drop on April 27.
While masking will no longer be mandated, officials are still encouraging it.
“We will continue to work with our SMDHU (Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit) partners, but the Ministry of Education announcement today does indicate that masking will no longer be required for staff and students beginning on March 21,” said Dawn Stephens, associate director of education with the Simcoe County District School Board.
“Students and staff will still be permitted to wear masks, and masks will still be provided to those who are wanting to wear a mask,” she said.
Stephens said the federal government’s COVID-19 rules regarding travel are still in effect, so any families who are planning to travel internationally for March break will still be required under federal rules to wear masks in all public spaces, including schools, for 14 days following their return to the country.
“If students are travelling and coming back, they will be required to wear a mask at all times while in school,” she said.
Stephens said the public board is preparing communications to go out directly to families by the end of this week.
At the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, officials say board-specific information will also be communicated to families after consultation with public health officials.
“There is a lot of information to process right now, but it looks like many of our existing COVID-19 processes and procedures will be lifted beginning March 21,” said Pauline Stevenson, manager of communications with the SMCDSB. “There are some measures that will remain in place.”
“At this time, we need to carefully review the guidance from the Ministry of Education and meet with local public health so that we can establish what the proposed changes will mean for our students, staff and families,” said Stevenson.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit did not provide comment by publication time.
Ontario teacher’s unions were quick to respond to the provincial government’s announcement on Wednesday.
“Throughout the pandemic, Ontarians have relied on public health officials to lead with a science and evidence-based approach. Unfortunately, it appears that a fast-approaching June election is influencing politicians’ decisions to lift COVID-19 safety measures,” wrote Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) President Karen Brown in a release.
“Lifting the mask mandates too soon may result in further disruption to in-person learning and negative impacts on the health and safety of ETFO members, students, and their families," Brown noted.
The Ontario Secondary School Teacher’s Federation (OSSTF) also publicly denounced the decision.
“The pandemic is not over and the sudden end of masking mandates in schools in troubling,” reads the union’s statement posted on Twitter. “No one knows if COVID-19 is spreading in schools because of the Ford government’s move to eliminate the tracking of cases among students and staff.”
As of March 21, people will still need masks while using public transit, long-term care and retirement homes, health-care settings, shelters, jails and congregate care settings such as homes for individuals with developmental disabilities. Those requirements will lift as of April 27, along with the remaining provincial emergency orders and restrictions.
With files from Maija Hoggett.
