Dr. Vera Etches answers your back-to-school questions on Ottawa Morning

With Ottawa's largest school board heading back to class on Thursday, the city's medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches waslive on CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning to take questions.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School board passeda series of measures that go beyond provincial COVID-19 safety protocols in the week leading up to school starting, including making vaccinations mandatory for staff and any volunteers with the schools.

All four of Ottawa's school boards have mandated masks for kindergartners.

Ottawa's English Catholic board is working on a mandatory vaccination policy for staff, but it is not finalized yet. The Ottawa Catholic School board returned to classes on Tuesday.

While many parents are happy with a return to in-person learning, there are still concerns. For example, one public school in Stittsville is experiencing intense overcrowding, and some parents are worried about what that will mean for physical distancing.

Others have expressed concern about schools being used as polling stations in the upcoming federal election on Sept. 20.

Fewer schools than ever before will be used as polling stations, according to the OCDSB's superintendent of finance Michael Carson, who says only one elementary school and about 12 high schools will be used.