Schools are closing in Toronto
Students will have to go back to distance learning.
As early as April 7, schools in Toronto will have to close and move students to distance learning. This decision was made by the city's public health agency to prevent a surge in illnesses. On Monday, April 5, Toronto authorities reported 955 new cases in 24 hours. More than 300,000 students will switch to home schooling.
"COVID-19 has never spread as rapidly as it is now in Toronto. Meanwhile, new variants of the virus are increasing the risk of transmission, serious illness and death," the Public Health Agency said in a statement.
Toronto Mayor John Tory offered to give parents a day to prepare, but the city's health officer, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said the schools should be closed immediately.
"I support taking whatever measures are necessary to ensure the safety of people, especially children, during a pandemic," Tory said.
Toronto's decision to close schools came a day after similar measures were imposed in the Peel region. However, the Ontario provincial government does not consider schools to be a source of spreading the virus. Ontario authorities have allowed schools to remain open even though the province last week tightened restrictions to deal with the third wave of the pandemic.
