Ottawa families excited for return to class, but some wary of province's new COVID-19 reporting plan

Grade 1 student Ella Babcock doesn't hesitate when asked why she's excited to return to the classroom next week. 

"Because I get to see my friends and person and I actually get to go outside and see people from different classes," she said.

The Ontario government announced staff and students in child care, elementary and secondary school settings will get two rapid tests when school returns to in-person learning Monday for use when they're symptomatic. 

"The most important thing is that the kids are back in the classrooms with their teachers and their classmates so we're happy to have the extra rapid tests," said mom Jennifer Babcock. "Having extra tests is better than nothing, it gives parents a bit of extra relief as kids do head back to in-person learning."

Some, though, aren't comfortable with the province's back-to-school plans. 

"We want schools to be open, but we need them to be safe," said Cynthia Steeves, acting president of CUPE 2357 which represents thousands of education workers. "We don't understand why it is that they've downgraded notifications and COVID reporting and all the screenings and stuff like that. It's a dangerous precedent that they're setting."

Uncertainty over changing reporting guidelines has made some Ottawa residents take things into their own hands. Christie Cowan, a nurse and parent, started an unofficial school self-reporting Facebook group where no names are posted, just dates and locations.

"Do I wish that the city and the government was doing this still? Yes, absolutely," she said. "To know your child is negative or that they've been exposed allows the family to make a risk assessment."

The government said more rapid tests will be provided once the government has the supply, adding another 1.2 million tests are expected to be distributed the week of Jan. 24.