British Columbia has announced that it is altering its K-12 education health and safety guidelines to require masks for kindergarten to Grade 3 students.
Beginning Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, all students in B.C. schools will be required to wear a mask when inside a school building, including while at their desks and on buses.
This is a change to the current rules in effect, which require all grades 4 to 12 students to wear masks.
“We know there is a high level of concern among some parents, students, teachers and boards of education, especially in regions of B.C. where transmission rates are higher. We are listening to the concerns of people and, on the advice of the provincial health officer, taking further action so that families, students and staff feel secure,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry spoke to the media at a live press conference on Friday and suggested that the pandemic continues to evolve and health officials need to continue to make changes in order to fit the situation.
“We know the COVID-19 virus is being transmitted more rapidly, particularly to those who don’t have the protection that vaccination offers. This extra measure adds another layer of protection as we navigate this phase of the pandemic,” said Dr. Henry.
Since the start of school, there’s been a steady rise in COVID-19 cases in school-aged children, especially in the age of 5 to 11, who are too young to be vaccinated and the Victoria Teacher’s Association hopes additional measures are added.
“I think we should be offering a hybrid version of school for those parents who are at high risk or families who are at high risk,” said Winona Waldron, president of the Victoria Teacher’s Association.
Additionally, Dr. Henry says that a new monthly report will be released to inform British Columbians about the virus and how it affects school-aged children.
While these measures apply to the entire province, regional medical health officers (MHOs) are still able to recommend additional health and safety measures in response to local conditions.
These new measures have been added to the K-12 education health and safety guidelines, which also include other strategies including daily health checks, hand washing, staying home when sick and improved ventilation systems.
The guidelines also contain strategies for schools to help create space between people, including staggered recess, lunch breaks and class transition times, managing the flow of people in common areas, and using available space to spread people out.
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CHEK News
Mary Griffin
