Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health is urging Niagara's Medical Officer of Health to remove some public health measures imposed at school.
Dr. Kieran Moore sending a letter to Dr. Mustafa Hirji this week expressing his "concern" with the regions approach to back to school plans.
BREAKING - Dr. Kieran Moore writes to @mustafahirji admonishing him for adding in EXTRA layers of protection in schools.
— Ryan Imgrund (@imgrund) January 20, 2022
Dr. Moore is strongly against changing isolation to 7 days, dismissing cohorts, monitoring CO2, and asking for a doctor letter for student mask exemptions. pic.twitter.com/qw9TRiKfyg
The letter goes on to target regional requirements for the monitoring of CO2 levels in classrooms, a seven day dismissal of classroom cohorts, and requiring a medical exemption to the mask rules.
Dr. Moore went on to say "I am concerned these measures will lead to increased harms to children and youth in the Niagara Region and I strongly urge you to reconsider your approach in alignment with provincial direction."
In response Dr. Hirji issued the following statement:
"Niagara Region Public Health strongly supports the provincial government’s decision to reopen schools to in-person learning. We also thank the provincial government for the many investments they have made to make schools safer from COVID-19.
Public Health is building on the solid foundation set by the province with some additional local measures that reflect our local context and the local patterns of spread we have seen in schools. We appreciate the feedback of the Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding these measures and have discussed them with our school board partners. We have adapted some of the details of how our recommended measures will be implemented in consideration of the easing workload on our school boards, but will be proceeding with these measures in order to give children, teachers, and other school staff additional protection as we successfully resume in-person schooling."
Dr. Moore was questioned about the letter during the announcement today regarding the provinces reopening plan.