mandatory staff vaccines set for toronto school board
the toronto district school board voted unanimously to develop a mandatory vaccination policy for staff, trustees and visitors to school
aug 26 2021
4 minute read
a toronto school board has approved mandatory vaccines for all staff. file photo
tony caldwell
/
postmedia
by: jacquie miller
ontario’s largest school board will require employees to be vaccinated against covid-19.
the toronto district school board voted unanimously wednesday night to develop a mandatory vaccination policy for staff, trustees and visitors to schools. the policy would be in place, if possible, before schools reopen there on sept. 9.
several trustees said the move will increase safety during the pandemic and they hope other school boards will follow suit.
“i think this is one of those very critical and important moments when trustees are leading in an essential way that quite literally in this case can have the impact of saving lives,” said trustee jennifer story.
“we are the first school board to grapple with this. that is daunting, and that is scary to contemplate that we are out there on the ledge, but i also think it’s something that when we get to the other side of this, we’ll all be very proud that we took this leadership…”
a spokesperson for the board said he was not aware of any other ontario school board that has adopted a mandatory vaccination policy.
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the ottawa-carleton district school board is set to consider the issue of mandatory vaccinations for staff, students and volunteers. debate on several motions from trustee lyra evans was scheduled for tuesday, but trustees ran out of time and the meeting is rescheduled for aug. 31.
some ontario colleges and universities have adopted mandatory vaccination policies, and there has been pressure for school boards to do the same. groups representing doctors, nurses, education unions and the association of english public school boards have called for mandatory vaccinations for education employees.
the provincial government has directed school boards to offer regular rapid testing for employees who are not immunized.
toronto board trustee anu sriskandarajah, at wednesday’s meeting, acknowledged that the mandatory vaccination policy will be complicated to enforce and might disrupt school organization just as classes resume this fall, with teachers possibly reassigned. “i think parents will be ok with that, knowing that it is for the greater good, and making sure that everybody is safe.”
the board’s motion said employees who don’t provide proof of vaccination will attend a mandatory education session on the benefits of vaccines. the board will accommodate employees who are legally entitled to them under human rights legislation.
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ontario reported 678 new cases of covid-19 on thursday but no new deaths.
across the province, 302 people are in hospital with the disease, including 165 in intensive care.
the province reported 15 new cases in ottawa, although local public health data often varies slightly and will be released later thursday.
the eastern ontario health unit reported 10 new cases of covid-19. there was one case reported in leeds, grenville and lanark and none in both the renfrew county and kingston area health units.
on the vaccination front, the province said 82.5 per cent of eligible ontarians (over age 12) have received a first dose, and 75.5 per cent have a second dose.
of the 302 people in hospital, 271 are not fully vaccinated or their vaccination status is not known.
the effective reproduction rate of the virus, a key indicator of the spread of the disease, is at 1.25. any number above 1.0 indicates the virus is spreading.
latest covid-19 news from ottawa
a community centre in ottawa south is joining the ranks of institutions adopting a mandatory vaccination policy.
staff, program participants and volunteers at the firehall community centre on sunnyside avenue will have to be fully vaccinated, the old ottawa south community association said in a message to community members thursday.
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the centre offers a wide variety of programs, from yoga to children’s dance classes, and has a small gym and pottery studio.
details of the policy are still being developed.
from the things returning to ‘normal’ department, tour operator sunwings announced the resumption of tropic flights and tours from ottawa international beginning in november.
the airline announced 11 weekly trips from @flyyow to destinations including cuba, jamaica and several mexican destinations.
go to sunwing.ca for more information.
latest covid-19 news in quebec
quebec reported 603 new cases of covid-19 and one new death thursday.
hospitalizations rose for the fifth straight day and are now at their highest level since june.
there are 119 people in hospital, an increase of nine. three more people are in icu for a total of 36.
meanwhile, quebec’s office of criminal prosecutions has announced it will not be laying criminal charges in connection with the deaths at dorval’s chsld herron, where at least 40 residents died during the pandemic’s first wave.
in a statement issued thursday, the dpcp said it concluded what happened was not a criminal matter after a “rigorous analysis of the available evidence.”
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“this decision in no way trivializes the tragic events that occurred at chlsd herron, nor does it mean that there was no civil fault or ethical misconduct that occurred,” the statement says.
“the dpcp sympathizes with the families of the deceased residents, who must not only mourn the loss of their loved ones but also live with the regret that they were unable to be by their sides because of the pandemic.” the agency said.
-with files from postmedia and the canadian press
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