Toronto education workers call for expansion of asymptomatic testing pilot

Toronto education workers are calling on municipal and provincial leaders to expand an asymptomatic COVID-19 testing program that discovered the virus in local schools.

The open letter signed by union representatives for Toronto teachers and education workers says the program should extend to all schools in the city.

An outbreak of more than 20 people was discovered last month at Thorncliffe Park Public School, the first school where the program was deployed.

The workers say asymptomatic testing on a regular basis will assess the prevalence of the virus in schools.

The group is also calling for schools to move to online learning for at least two weeks after the holidays to limit COVID-19 spread.

They say this break will also offer time to set up the testing program.