Parents and early childhood educators advocating for PCR testing for children under five

Amid soaring infections, the provincial government has limited PCR testing for COVID-19 to high-risk individuals who are symptomatic or at risk of severe illness.

That group doesn’t include children under the age of five who can’t be vaccinated yet.

As a result, there are growing calls for the Ontario government to make PCR tests available to children – especially those in daycare settings.

“Our 16-month-old, symptomatic unvaccinated toddler, who’s in childcare was not a high enough priority to get a COVID test, so does she have COVID? We don’t know,” said Kate Graham, mother and Ontario Liberal Candidate in London North Centre.

Graham is one of many parents going through uncertainty with a sick child at home after her daughter had to be taken to the emergency room when she spiked a high fever.

“For me, I think this is something that her doctor should know, her childcare center should know, the provincial government should know, and I am her mom so I should get to know, so I am really, really upset,” said Graham.

Under the province's new rules, PCR tests are available only for high-risk individuals who are symptomatic or are at risk of severe illness.

Others with symptoms need to assume they have COVID-19 and isolate with their household contacts for at least five days if they're vaccinated or under the age of 12.

Graham says this isn’t enough and believes the government should reinstate testing immediately.

“I believe government has a responsibility to protect people, especially kids,” she said.

Kara Pihlak, chair of the Licensed Child Care Network’s (LCCN) advocacy subcommittee agrees.

“We don’t really know who has COVID because we can’t confirm it. We are just assuming people who are sick have COVID so I am definitely nervous with the cases going up, for our little ones as well, and our early childhood educators who’ve already been working hard these past few years with no recognition or support,” said Pihlak.

The Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario to Education sent a letter to Minister Steven Lecce, urging the government to make PCR testing available to everyone in childcare settings, and to reinstate COVID-19 reporting of daycare cases.