TVDSB to encourage masking after March 21, but won’t mandate

Thames Valley District School Board says after March break, it will be up to staff and students whether they want to wear a mask.The update for families in the region comes after the Ontario government said Wednesday that it would lift COVID-19 masking mandates in most social settings on March 21.Director of Education Mark Fisher told Global News while the TVDSB will encourage masking in schools, the decision to do so will be an individual choice.“We’re asking all members of the community, no matter where they come down on this issue, to honour and respect the individual choice that people will make in this regard,” said Fisher. ‘We’ve got to move on,’ Doug Ford says as Ontario announces easing of mask mandate Public health units could potentially override the lifting of provincial mandates with the use of a Section 22 Order, but neither of the health units that cover TVDSB schools – the Middlesex-London Health Unit and Southwestern Public Health – have announced plans to do so, according to Fisher.On Thursday, MLHU medical officer of health Dr.

Alex Summers said during a virtual media briefing that he would advise school boards to only recommend masking, rather than make them mandatory.On Friday morning, prior to Fisher delivering his update, Global News spoke with parents and guardians at Thames Valley elementary schools who had mixed reactions to the lifting of the mask mandate.“My daughter’s excited because she’s really sick of wearing,” said Alyssa Pageot, whose child attends Lord Roberts Public School. “Personally, I don’t mind so much, I’m kind of like, ‘alright, let’s see,’ she’s vaccinated, double-vaxxed, I’m vaccinated.” Lecce defends end date for Ontario school mask mandate amid calls for more time Pageot.