THUNDER BAY — Even though Ontario is rescinding its COVID-19 mask mandate for most indoor settings next week, Lakehead University and many other post-secondary institutions across the province will keep it in place.
Lakehead will adhere to a decision of the Council of Ontario Universities to maintain COVID-19 vaccination and masking policies until at least the end of the current term.
The COU says this will minimize uncertainty and disruption.
Some community colleges have also decided to require that masks be worn until the end of the winter term. However a spokesperson at Confederation College said Monday the matter is still under review.
At Lakehead, the winter term ends at the end of April.
Spokesperson Toby Goodfellow says the university's COVID-19 Transition Committee assesses how public health and government announcements impact the school.
In an interview, he said COU recently discussed the issue and decided that continuing the mask mandate will limit disruptions to students, faculty and staff.
Asked what might happen at the end of April, Goodfellow pointed to an analogy that many others have already used, saying "The COVID-19 crystal ball is broken. We're not sure what's going to happen next...our committee will still listen to public health, to the government, and of course COU will advise us."
According to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, an average of 98 per cent of students, faculty and staff at Ontario universities are vaccinated against COVID-19, but it's advising everyone to get their booster doses before coming on campus.
Publicly-assisted post-secondary institutions are autonomous under the law, which gives them authority to maintain mask and vaccine mandates on their properties.
The government's decision to lift mask mandates in elementary and high schools has raised concerned among some parents, teachers and school trustees.
The Lakehead District School Board is asking Thunder Bay District Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janet DeMille to impose a mask mandate at the local level.
At a meeting Friday, several trustees noted that Northwestern Ontario's COVID case rate remains significantly higher than the Ontario average.
The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario says it's concerned the government is undermining school boards "that want to maintain masking policies to protect the safety of students and staff."
In a statement Monday, it accused the government of prioritizing political interests over safety in schools.
Although masks will not be required in schools, restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theatres as of March 21, they must still be worn in public transit, long-term care homes, healthcare settings and shelters until April 27.
