Ontario's COVID-19 science table stopped short of recommending masks in the classroom for the upcoming school year, citing a 'lack of consensus' as the province saw a nearly 60 per cent jump in reported deaths linked to the virus over the last seven days.
Science table stops short of recommending masks in Ontario schools, citing 'lack of consensus'
Ontario's COVID-19 science table stopped short of recommending masks in the classroom for the upcoming school year, citing a "lack of consensus" as the province saw a nearly 60 per cent jump in reported deaths linked to the virus over the last seven days. Ontario has previously said there would be no mandatory masking in schools this fall. The science table said "temporary measures" like masking, distancing, cohorting, screening, and testing "pose additional challenges to school operations, school learning, and student wellness."Meanwhile, Ontario is reporting 89 more deaths linked to COVID-19 over the past seven days, a marked uptick from its seventh-wave high of 56 the week before and a 58.9 per cent increase.
Newly released data from the Ministry of Health on Thursday shows the number of people in hospital with the virus has also increased slightly from 1,328 last week to 1,354 as of Thursday. Positivity rates are based on the number of people who test for the virus. This past January, the province moved to limit PCR testing to high-risk populations and settings only.