Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Trustees with the Toronto District School Board approved the plan to provide medical masks for all TDSB students.
Toronto District School Board had gathered a regular meeting last Wednesday evening to discuss the purchase of Level 3 medical-grade masks for every student.
The Board decided to supply these masks for those students to wear apart from a common type of mask that students must use every day until the end of the school year as per the TDSB's COVID-19 Mask Procedure.
Medical Masks are costly for many families, said Chair of TDSB Alexander Brown.
"By providing medical masks, the TDSB is ensuring that all students have access to high-quality PPE and greater protection against COVID-19," he said.
The total cost of purchasing this mask until the end of the school year ranges from about $444,000 to $2 million based on students' estimated quantity of masks.
As the Ministry of Education will not be funding the purchase, TDSB will need to cover the cost through their reserve funds.
"We continue to urge the Ministry of Education to fully fund and reimburse school boards for all pandemic costs, including providing medical masks for students," said Brown.
The approved plan last Wednesday's meeting means that TDSB staff will proceed with the mask ordering and provide information for students and their families once the delivery timeline is all set.
