The two biggest school boards in Windsor-Essex report the vast majority of their staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Greater Essex County District School Board and the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board have made vaccination rates among their employees public. The rates are available on their webpages.
The Ontario government's mandatory vaccination policy does not cover teachers. Those who choose not to get the shot still have to undergo rapid antigen testing twice a week.
At the public school board, 323, or 10.5 per cent of teachers and trustees have either indicated they don't intend to get the shot or haven't communicated their intentions.
However, 3,781 or 84.2 per cent have said they are fully vaccinated. Over 3,400 have provided documentation to prove it.
Only six have provided a medical exemption, about 0.001 per cent, a figure consistent with what public health officials expect.
Vaccination rates are even better at the English Catholic board, where 92.5 per cent have shown proof of vaccination.
The percentage of those who have presented a note from a doctor showing they are medically exempt from receiving the vaccine is also below the one per cent mark. Twelve staff members or 0.49 per cent have a medical exemption.
That still leaves 171 employees who have offered no documentation and have not stated if they intend to be inoculated.
Vaccination rates have become a concern in local schools as more and more students are dismissed after exposure to the virus. There are currently outbreaks at six schools in Windsor-Essex, and five of those are with the public school board.
Acting Medical Officer of Health Doctor Shanker Nesathurai has consistently warned school-aged children are currently bearing the brunt of the burden of illness in the region, with over 300 cohorts dismissed since the start of school last month.
After three cases at Tecumseh Vista Academy, it joined the list this week of schools experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19. St. Anne French Immersion Catholic Elementary has eight to date after an outbreak was declared there earlier this month.
The province reported 150 new cases in schools across Ontario on Tuesday, 140 of which involved students. Staff or students at 614 are currently convalescing with the virus.
