Ontario's Health Minister says the COVID-19 vaccine will not be compulsory at this time for kids between 12-17 to attend school.
The Province is not considering making vaccines mandatory for Ontario students at this time.
Kids between the ages of 12-17 will likely start getting shots in June. Several vaccines are already mandatory for students to attend school. They do allow for medical exemptions.
The Health Minister and Deputy Premier Christine Elliott was asked today if the Government was looking at making the COVID-19 vaccine compulsory for students to attend school.
"Not at this moment, no it has been a matter of choice, if people wish to receive a vaccine and as you know, young people will require parental consent to have a vaccine or not."
Elliott says the vaccine will not be forced upon kids.
"We encourage people very strongly to receive the vaccine as soon as it is their time to protect themselves and their loved ones and at this time it will not be compulsory."
Currently in Ontario, children must be vaccinated for tetanus, measles, chicken pox, polio, mumps, rubella, meningitis, diptheria, and whooping cough to attend school, unless they have a medical exemption.
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