Ontario Liberals pledge to add COVID-19 vaccine to school immunization list

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The Ontario Liberals say they would add COVID-19 vaccination to the immunization schedule for schools, if elected.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca says the best way to get back to normal is to make classrooms safer.

He says he would add COVID-19 to the list of nine other vaccines on the school list and would require all front-line educators to be immunized.

But Del Duca says current exemptions will continue to apply.

Parents can exempt their kids from the school vaccination requirements through either a statement of medical exemption, or for reasons of conscience or religious beliefs.

About 35 per cent of children aged 5-11 have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 93 per cent of teens aged 12-17 have received two doses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2022.