Have schools been a driving force in COVID-19 in Ontario and worldwide?

BY PAUL JUNOR

As the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to increase, the government has seen it fit to increase asymptomatic testing in schools across Ontario. Ontario’s Minister of Education, Stephen Leece made the announcement on Friday, January 8^th, at a press conference at Queen’s Park. CP24 reported on Friday, January 8^th, 2021 that there would be an expansion of asymptomatic testing beyond the pilot programs that were announced late November 2020. At this time, there was voluntary asymptomatic testing for school staff in hotspots: such as Toronto, York Region, Peel Region and Ottawa.

The Ontario government also announced on Friday, January 8^th, 2021 that elementary schools would be closed for an additional two weeks until January 25^th, 2021. Schools were expected to reopen on January 11^th, 2021 but will be delayed due to the high rate of community transmission of COVID-19, and the positivity rate of 5% among elementary students in Southern Ontario. These school-aged children will continue their online learning/virtual schooling. Secondary students will return to schools on Monday, January 28^th, 2021.

Education Minister Stephen Leece stated, “We see wisdom in expanding it and our province will. We will do so for the day schools reopen.”  He acknowledged that surveillance testing would be available province-wide. He further states, “All schools and all public health units will be eligible and have the capacity and the testing list required to do that type of surveillance testing, meaning we are going well beyond the four highest risks regions where it exists today.” 

Minister Leece stated that $380 million would be spent on funding for HVAC and ventilation systems improvements as well as on: personal protective equipment’s and employing additional janitorial staff.

The four teachers unions have been calling on the government for months to do asymptomatic testing in schools. A joint letter was sent to Premier Ford on Thursday, January 7^th, 2021 that called on the government to, “Institute an on-going program of asymptomatic testing in schools until COVID-19 has been eradicated.”

In an interview with Minister Leece, Cynthia Mulligan of City News asked him, “Why wasn’t it done all along, knowing that a lot of kids were asymptomatic? Why wasn’t it done in September at the start of the school year?” The minister responded that Ontario was the first and only province to introduce asymptomatic testing. She pressed him on why he waited just before the holiday to start asymptomatic testing. Cynthia notes that about 20% of schools have known cases and the positivity rate is currently 6.1%.

Cynthia asked Ryan Imgrund, a COVID-19 biostatician, “Do you think schools are a driving force in the spread of COVID-19?” He responded, “I absolutely think the schools have been a driving force in COVID-19 in Ontario and worldwide. We have seen that when you move schools to online you drastically reduce cases.” He believes that schools should not be open until the province is down to 1,000 new cases a day and a 3% positivity rate.