It will be up to St. Clair College to decide if they will graduate this year, but in the meantime, 13 third-year respiratory therapy students are getting their license to practice early because of COVID-19.
The College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario has decided the students are close enough to graduation to join the fight against the pandemic.
The students will still have to finish their online classes and exams to graduate.
"They may, in fact, have to go back and do some clinical placements, but we have not identified those gaps yet," said Connie Sivyer, the coordinator of the Respiratory Therapy program at St. Clair College.
The students will have to apply to Health Force Ontario, which is also granting licenses to nurses and other healthcare professionals who have allowed their licenses to lapse.
A statement from St. Clair College said there is a shortage of respiratory therapists across Ontario, and the early licensing should help boost the numbers.