(via CityNews)

Students and teachers will return to in-person learning in precisely one week, sources tell CityNews. This will include both elementary and high school students. Premier Doug Ford — who warned of an approaching “tsunami” of COVID-19 —  announced the shift to remote learning on Jan. 3, less than a week after his government insisted in-person classes would resume after only a two-day delay.

That planned return to class was expected no earlier than Jan. 17. Ford said that the date would be reassessed based on public health indicators.

“These two weeks will provide much-needed time for more vaccines and boosters,” Ford said at the time of the announcement.

Last week, the government began accelerating booster shots for school and child-care staff to protect children, staff and families from COVID-19. Ten vaccine clinics were held this past weekend in Toronto — including one at the Toronto Zoo — and Mississauga, Vaughan, Pickering, Hamilton, Oakville and Brampton.

The Ford government announced back on Jan. 1 it would no longer collect COVID-19 case numbers from schools and child care centres, citing new testing guidelines.

The province has since scaled back into a modified Step 2 of its COVID-19 roadmap. Those health measures — which will remain in place until Jan. 26 at the earliest — include the closure of gyms and indoor dining and further restrictions on capacity limits at retail stores.