Lambton County politicians may not return to in person meetings until April.

At a county committee meeting Wednesday, local politicians recommended the full council not meet until April in the hopes the COVID-19 restrictions will all be lifted by then.

Staff had suggested and council approved spending $12,000 to put glass partitions between each county councillor in the chambers so the members would not have to wear masks during the regular meeting when they returned to in person meetings in February.

After the plan was approved, the province released its projections for the removal of the COVID-19 protocols. Premier Doug Ford has said if the conditions allow it, the provincial mask mandate, proof of vaccination rules and gathering limits will be lifted.

There would be just two council meetings between the time council had originally agreed to return to in person meetings and the end of the mandate.

Councillors agreed it would make sense to continue meeting virtually until then and save the $12,000 for the partitions.

Lambton county council will have to approve the plan at its Dec. meeting.