The London District Catholic School Board has lifted its outdoor masking requirements for students to give them a break during recess.
The board said the policy change went into effect after the Family Day holiday. Indoor masking requirements remain in place.
“We’ve done our best to continually communicate that we want to always air on the side of caution, but with the intention of returning to normal operations when it was safe to do so,” director of education Vince Romeo told Global News.
“Staff and students are happy to see that break outdoors, particularly for our youngest learners. We will continue to cautiously lift any other restrictions, as regulations and rate of infection permit.”
Dr. Alex Summers, acting medical officer of health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit, said masking outdoors is not as critical as masking indoors.
“I strongly encourage all organizations to continue with masking indoors, certainly through March and into April. We’ll reassess as the incidence of COVID-19 hopefully falls. That’s for indoor environments,” Summers said.
“When it comes to outdoor environments, the enhanced ventilation that comes with being outside significantly reduces the need for a mask, so I’m less concerned about any policy that reduces mask use outside as long as indoor masking requirements remain in place.”
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On Thursday, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore, said mask mandates will stay in place for now, but when they are removed for most public settings, they will simultaneously be lifted in schools.
“Masking does remain an important tool in our toolbox and even when it’s no longer required in public settings, it will continue to be an effective tool for reducing transmission and protecting those recovering from illness, their close contacts, and those who may be more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection,” Moore said.
“Some in our communities may also choose to continue wearing them regularly and we need to be respectful of individual choices once masking is no longer required.”
He added that masking policies would still likely remain in place for the “highest-risk settings” after being removed for most public spaces.
— with files from Global News’ Scott Monich and Ryan Rocca
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