Classroom stock photo / Element5 Digital via Unsplash THUNDER BAY – Sooner would have been better, but union leaders are thankful teachers and other school employees in Thunder Bay will be allowed to start booking COVID-19 appointments on Thursday. The move, announced last week by the province, should go a long way to returning classrooms to normal operations by the fall, especially if school employees are able to get their second dose in August. Carlo Cappello, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association’s Thunder Bay branch, said it was news his membership has been waiting to hear. “It was definitely welcome news for teachers and other education workers that will be getting vaccinated. The hope is we will get both vaccinations before the start of the school year in September. That would be ideal,” Cappello said.