Ontario to limit testing availability, delay school reopening by two days

With days until school is scheduled to reopen, the government has announced a suite of changes that limits testing availability, delays school reopening by two days and restricts large venue capacities.

Following a cabinet meeting, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced a plan that would see the following steps taken:

• In-person school reopening will be delayed from Jan. 3 to Jan. 5.
• Schools will receive 3,000 more HEPA filters in addition to the 70,000 already distributed.
• N95 masks will be distributed to school staff.
• Sports arenas, theatres and concert venues will be limited to 1,000 spectators or 50 per cent capacity, whatever is lower.
• Isolation requirements have also been modified, given the updated understanding of transmissibility. People who are vaccinated and have symptoms will be required to isolate for five days rather than 10 days, along with members of their household. Non-household contacts will need to self-monitor for 10 days. People who are unvaccinated will be required to isolate for 10 days.
• Publicly-funded PCR testing will no longer be available, except to high-risk individuals who are symptomatic and/or at risk of severe illness, workers and residents in high-risk settings, vulnerable populations and symptomatic elementary and secondary school students.
• Fourth doses will be offered to long-term care residents effective immediately provided 84 days have passed since their third dose.

The response comes as Ontario set records for its single day of recorded cases, at 13,807. However, some health experts warn that this could represent a significant undercounting, as the positivity rate was sky-high at 30 per cent — a typical rate would be closer to one-tenth of that — and the backlog of tests is at almost 100,000. But while the overall case counts are eye-popping, driven in large part by the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, intensive care unit needs due to COVID-19 only saw a modest increase of eight people to 196.

Moore laid out the stakes and state of play for the Omicron variant.

"We can anticipate for the next six to eight weeks that we will have widespread community activity of Omicron across Ontario," he said in his weekly press conference. "Our focus is on protecting the health-care system, protecting the long-term care sector, learning from the last 20 months in terms of protecting the most vulnerable citizens," he added by way of explaining the policy decisions implemented.

He acknowledged that less availability to PCR tests is a different approach, but it is one that is informed by the given needs and constraints.

"We have to shift, we have to pivot, given the sheer infectiousness of this virus," adding that "if we had the capacity we would offer the testing," and that decisions to limit the availability are a product of a level of transmissibility that no one expected.

"I wish we had more tests, but sadly this is a global issue."

The government has repeatedly said that it does not want to shut down in-person learning again; Ontario has already seen the most days of in-person learning cancelled of any province in Canada. But health experts have not been as clear, with 500 medical experts signing a petition to keep schools open, but many others saying that doing so without taking significant steps to change outcomes is irresponsible.

The opposition maintained that the government is not doing enough to respond to the variant, and outlined lists of actions that they would take.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca shared that plan Wednesday, flanked by a Zoom backdrop of Liberal candidates accompanied by their school-aged kids. He made the case that higher standards and more supports are needed, and that the government should use any break in school time to roll out a specific plan that would advance its strategy in fighting COVID-19.

➡️Smaller class sizes
➡️Rapid testing program
➡️Free high quality masks
➡️Universal vaccines for students
➡️HEPA filtration in every classroom
➡️Vaccine mandates for education workers@fordnation should've been working on these months earlier. #onpolihttps://t.co/FVbVnQcR7H

— Steven Del Duca (@StevenDelDuca) December 30, 2021

Similarly, the NDP held a Thursday morning press conference in which it outlined its recommendations to the government.

"We should be moving heaven and earth now to make sure [students] can go back to school safely," Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath said in a statement, adding that a lot of parents are feeling frustration and anxiety at the moment.

With just a few days left in the holidays, families are worried and frustrated. Doug Ford has once again put our kids at the end of the priority list.

Ontarians deserve clear communication and a real action plan to ensure kids return to school safely. Here's mine. #ONpoli #OntEd pic.twitter.com/JGc6B3VY1l

— Andrea Horwath (@AndreaHorwath) December 30, 2021

Additionally, Moore said that as of right now vaccine eligibility is contingent based on age, not birth year. That could change in the coming days — possibly by Jan. 5 — as the government examines a change that could see all people who turn five in 2022 become eligible, rather than those who are five on the day of their shot.