More extracurricular activities, including high contact sports and choir, are resuming in Ontario schools.
A government source confirmed to The Canadian Press that Dr. Kieran Moore, the province’s top doctor, would announce the immediate policy change this afternoon.
Some low contact sports like tennis have been ongoing in schools but high contact sports such as basketball were paused due to COVID-19 risk.
Singing and the playing of wind instruments have also not been permitted but the source says they will now be allowed with some health measures in place.
The changes are expected to come weeks after students headed back to classes in-person, following a two-week pandemic shutdown in January.
Schools have been closed and reopened repeatedly in Ontario during the pandemic and extracurriculars have been paused as a COVID-19 precaution at various points.
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Ontario COVID-19 numbers
Ontario is reporting 1,897 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 445 patients in intensive care.
That’s down from 2,059 hospitalized patients and 413 in I-C-U yesterday.
The province is also reporting 44 more virus-related deaths.
There are 3,201 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, though limits on access to tests means the number is likely higher.
More than 40 per cent of long-term care homes were reporting virus outbreaks and along with 17 more resident deaths.
Ontario isn’t reporting data on COVID-19 cases in schools, but four schools were closed for operational reasons and 161 reported absences of 30 per cent or higher yesterday.
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