Students head back to class across most of the province today, and while administrators are hoping for as close to a return to normal as possible, COVID-19 is still top of mind.

Aside from three schools on the Northern Peninsula, the school year is getting underway across most of the province under a low-risk scenario.

Low-risk means that while students no longer have to wear masks in school or on the bus, they are still encouraged to do so.

Education Minister Tom Osborne will be at St. John Boscoe in Shea Heights this morning.

He says in terms of school busing and class sizes—things are back to normal.

All that changes if the COVID situation changes and Public Health dictates otherwise.

Meanwhile, public health officials are revealing just how many students are going back to school fully vaccinated.

Students 12 and older are eligible for the COVID vaccine. The province made a push over the summer to get as many children as possible vaccinated before the beginning of the school year.

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, says vaccination uptake has been good in the 12-19-year age group.

She says about 70 per cent are fully vaccinated, and about 84 per cent have received at least one dose.

In the meantime, vaccines for children under the age of 12 may not be available for another year.