Ontario parents won't be notified of all school outbreaks but data on absentee rates will be available
CTV
The Ontario government says parents will only be notified of a potential COVID-19 outbreak when approximately 30 per cent of staff and students in the school are absent but data on absentee rates will be available to the public before that threshold is met.
Students in Ontario will return to in-person classes on Jan. 17 following nearly two weeks of remote learning due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
When student and staff absenteeism in an individual school reaches approximately 30 per cent from its baseline, it will trigger the principal to notify local health officials, the government said Wednesday.
At that point, a joint letter from the local medical officer of health and the principal would be sent to the school community.
The 30 per cent threshold will not automatically trigger a school closure, but a pivot to remote learning could be considered at that time.
