TDSB to make vaccines mandatory for staff and visitors

Toronto District School Board trustees voted unanimously Wednesday evening to develop a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination procedure.

It would require all TDSB staff and visitors to provide proof of vaccination to help protect kids attending school.

“This is an important step to ensure we are making our schools and workplaces as safe as possible for staff and students — particularly younger students who are not eligible to receive the vaccine,” board chair Alexander Brown said in a news release.

NEWS RELEASE: TDSB to Develop Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccine Plan.https://t.co/azrnF7uhAw

— Toronto District School Board (@tdsb) August 26, 2021

All adults wishing to come to the school must submit their proof of vaccination by a to-be-determined date. Those who refuse must attend a mandatory education session on the benefits of vaccination.

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The board has not yet decided whether those who complete the session and still refuse vaccination will be allowed to do regular testing or if they’ll be barred from school grounds.

The board did say people with legal exemptions, such as those with disabilities, will be accommodated.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health said earlier this week that everyone who comes in contact with children 11 or under should be fully vaccinated. It’s a practice called “cocooning,” Moore said on Tuesday, to protect the youngest who aren’t yet able to get vaccinated.

Students 12 and up do have the option of getting immunized for September and can book an appointment through the province’s online portal.