Manitoba students will return to in-class learning when the school year resumes next month, and although they won't be required to wear masks, the practice is recommended.

Dr. Joss Reimer, lead of the province's vaccine implementation task force, along with a representative for the minister of education, met with members of the media during a technical briefing this afternoon where the pair shed some light on how the school year will operate.

All schools in the province will welcome students in K-12 back to in-class learning and all public health guidelines will be reviewed again before the start of the school year and on an ongoing basis to ensure that the measures are responsive to the public health situation at that time.

K-6 students will begin the year in cohorts, and although grades 7-12 will not be, there will still continue to be a requirement to follow the public health fundamentals. Masks and PPE will also be recommended for all students, staff, and visitors.

Dr. Reimer says they continue to make progress with immunizations, and so far about two-thirds of people aged 12-17 have at least one dose of the vaccine.

Classes will resume Sept. 7 and protocol will mirror the public health measures that exist in the broader community, but additional measures may be required for specific schools or areas depending on virus activity or low vaccination rate.