Response to COVID-19 - January 2022 Update

3. Reaffirmed its request that the Province of Ontario require COVID-19 vaccination for students who are eligible based on their age/year of birth. 4. Requested the Province of Ontario to make every effort to maintain in-person learning, which is critical to the physical and mental health of students, by implementing measures to promote safety in schools and child care settings, including, but not limited to, testing, the provision of Personal Protective Equipment, including high-quality masks to students, improved ventilation and efforts to encourage vaccine uptake by children and youth, their families and workers in the education and child care sectors. 5. Requested the Province of Ontario to explore and, as appropriate, to enhance and expand programs and measures to increase vaccine confidence amongst parents and caregivers of children and youth, such as information and consultation services to address questions on vaccines and the development and implementation of public information campaigns aimed at both parents and youth. 6. Requested the Province of Ontario to facilitate access to vaccinations by allowing third doses to be booked where out of province vaccination records are not yet entered, with the requirement that valid proof of eligibility is provided at clinics, as is done for 5- to 11-year-old children without Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage. 7. Requested the Province of Ontario to immediately update COVID-19 prevention measures in workplace settings, based on the evidence, to include ventilation and Personal Protective Equipment requirements to protect against Omicron transmission in workplace settings, consideration of the direct provision of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters and respirators in workplaces and neighbourhoods where transmission risks are highest and ensuring that each workplace has a vaccination policy to protect workers from the severe effects of Omicron. 8. Expressed its support for the Province of Ontario to provide secure and long-term funding for Toronto's supportive housing expansion program starting in 2022. 9. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to work with the City Manager and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to urgently explore and implement plans to address shelter safety, including but not limited to: a. consulting with service providers and those with lived experience of homelessness; b. immediately expanding the capacity of recovery and non-congregate shelter beds; c. increasing the number of housing allowances and subsidies and requesting the Federal Government to cover the associated costs; and d. expanding overdose prevention, education, training and response within the shelter system. 10. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to work with the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services to explore opportunities to expand the distribution of high-grade masks to neighbourhoods that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. 11. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to work with Toronto school boards to explore opportunities to increase the level of reporting to parents and the public of cases and outbreaks in school settings, where possible. 12. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to accelerate the hyperlocal COVID-19 vaccination strategy in order to maximize access to clinics and appointments in areas with low COVID-19 vaccination coverage, including building-specific clinics, where feasible. 13. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to continue to explore and, where appropriate, to implement measures to incentivize vaccination against COVID-19 on an ongoing basis.