Durham public school board in Whitby reporting low teacher vaccination rates

Vaccination information released by the Durham District School Board reveal that 69.5 per cent of staff and trustees – quite a bit below the regional and provincial averages – are fully vaccinated, while 76.9 per cent of people who come in close contact with students – such as school bus drivers – have received two doses of the vaccine.

The numbers are a bit better for staff at the Durham Catholic District School Board, which has the employee vaccination rate at 83 per cent.

Other vaccination numbers show that 24 staff at the public board had medical exemptions while 2,240 people – more than a quarter of employees – have not yet submitted the form and another 491 staff have said they are not vaccinated or would prefer not to say.

The Durham District School board employs 9,628 people, including trustees.

At the catholic board, 125 employees say they are double vaccinated but don’t have confirming information while 257 say they are not vaccinated or refused to disclose that information.

The public board is dealing with eight active cases of COVID-19, including two from RH Cornish PS in Port Perry; while the catholic board has seven active cases, including two each at St. John Bosco CS and St. John XXIII CS in Oshawa.