Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health is expected to issue a statement Wednesday afternoon regarding the "upcoming season."

Dr. Kieran Moore is scheduled to speak from Queen's Park at 1 p.m., according to a press release issued this morning.

The announcement comes before students return to school next week, amid the seventh wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health officials have warned that there is likely to be an unexpected surge of infections across the province this fall, due to more people gathering indoors.

The Ministry of Education says students will not be required to wear masks in the upcoming school year, and masks will be optional and available to students upon request.

Mask mandates ended in most settings across the province on March 21, 2022, after a year and a half of implementation.

This fall will be the first full school term since the start of the pandemic where Ontario students will not be required to wear masks.

However, infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch says students and all Ontario residents can reduce the risk of illness by continuing to wear face coverings.

He told CP24 on Tuesday, "You can reduce the risk of COVID and other respiratory infections by wearing a mask indoors.

And this is not just for school, but any other indoor place. This is where we know the vast majority of COVID and other respiratory illnesses are transmitted, and you can reduce the risk."

Bogoch added that improved indoor ventilation and vaccinations will help reduce the risk of becoming ill.

The Ministry of Education says rapid tests will also remain available to school boards.

This school year also marks the first time that Ontario's youngest residents have access to vaccines.

As of late July, children under five in Ontario were able to receive their first dose, after Health Canada approved the COVID-19 vaccine for infants and preschoolers - the first vaccine approved for this age group in the country.

For older residents, the Ontario government also expanded eligibility for the fourth dose to include all adults in July.

A new bivalent vaccine is also expected to be launched for Canadians in late fall and will specifically target the Omicron variant.