Will kids be going back to in person learning in January?

It’s a question that remains out there with Lakehead Public Schools making it clear that that is their plan but it all comes down to what the province decides.

“I think if we were just dealing with the Delta variant for January, I think the province would be very open to hear what I would be thinking in terms of a public health risk,” said Thunder Bay’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janet DeMille. “I think the challenge we’re dealing with (with the variant) are the uncertainties as well as the lack of knowledge and experience just because it’s fairly new. What we saw from the province previously in terms of restrictions and the concerns for the acute health care system is that all the decision making will come from Queen’s Park.”

Before the holiday break, Lakehead Public Schools sent a letter to parents stressing that their plan is to continue in person learning in January.

The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said on December 14th that the hope was to keep schools as long as possible.

Just before Christmas of 2020, the province announced the continuation of virtual learning for all students until January 11th at the earliest.