Ontario won’t extend Christmas break for schools despite COVID-19 surge

A day after for Ontario’s schools because of COVID-19, Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the government doesn’t see the need for such a move.

The decision follows consultations with chief medical officer Dr. David Williams and the province’s table of experts on public health measures, Lecce said Wednesday.

He noted 84 per cent of schools have no cases of the virus despite rising levels of COVID-19 across Ontario, which prompted Premier Doug Ford to repeat a warning that lockdowns could be coming to the hot spots of Toronto, Peel and York.

“An extended winter holiday is not necessary at this time, given Ontario’s strong safety protocols, low levels of transmission and safety within our schools,” Lecce said in a statement.

“Our schools have been remarkably successful at minimizing outbreaks to ensure that our kids stay safe and learning in their classrooms.”

A pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa said Lecce made the right call but warned high levels of community spread remain a threat.

“Most of the transmission events are outside of the school setting so shutting down schools wouldn’t address those areas of concern,” Dr. Nisha Thampi told the Star, crediting the screening process for students and teachers for keeping case levels down.

Schools only need to be closed if they are experiencing “uncontrolled transmission,” Thampi added. “It really depends on the dynamics of the community.”

Lecce’s announcement came, however, as it was revealed that a child and youth worker at the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s St. Frances de Sales school in North York died from COVID-19.

New Democrat MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport) said families feel whipsawed by the mixed messages from the government in the space of 24 hours.

“What changed from yesterday to today?” the education critic asked. “This is exhausting for parents.”

Stiles added there remains a risk to schools as new infections of COVID-19 increase by more than 1,000 a day, increasing the odds infections will infiltrate deeper into schools.

“We have cases in this province skyrocketing,” she said, calling for a cap of 15 students per class and less crowding on school buses.

Shortly after Lecce floated the idea of a longer Christmas break on Tuesday, Ford poured cold water on it, saying, “I don’t want to jump the gun here … it may not happen.”

Stiles said that raises the question of whether Ford is overriding scientific advice from Williams.

The premier denied that.

“What’s changed? He (Lecce) put his plan in front of the health (advisory) table. Dr. Williams said no,” Ford told his daily news conference Wednesday.

“The safest place … is in the schools,” he added, crediting the government’s system of cohorting students and requiring masks is keeping infections at bay.

“So far, knock wood, it’s working fairly well.”

Lecce said officials will keep close watch on cases in schools, which reported 109 new infections in students and staff, and cases now in 670 of 4,828 schools. Three were closed because of outbreaks, an increase of two from the previous day.

To date, there have been 3,626 cases in students and staff in schools.

Rob Ferguson is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: