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B.C.’s schools have fewer COVID-19 safety measures in place than last year, says union

Click to play video: 'B.C. teachers urge increased COVID-19 safety measures ahead of new school year'
B.C. teachers urge increased COVID-19 safety measures ahead of new school year
The union representing B.C. teachers is once again raising concerns about COVID-19 safety as students gear up for a return to class tomorrow. Emily Lazatin reports on why the group says current guidelines don't go far enough and what they say needs to be done. – Sep 6, 2021

B.C. students return to school Tuesday but the union representing the province’s teachers says concerns among educators are very high.

Terri Mooring, president of the BC Teachers’ Federation, said there is a “cloud” hanging over this school year due to the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said they wanted to see more health and safety measures in place this year but there are actually fewer in place now than when students returned to school in 2020.

Click to play video: 'BCTF president lists preventative measures teachers want to see in schools this year'
BCTF president lists preventative measures teachers want to see in schools this year

Mooring said, unlike last year, this year there will be no cohorts, no physical distancing, no daytime custodians, no provincial limits on school gatherings, no exposure notices and no limits to school visitors.

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She said educators are “exhausted” and therefore “more vulnerable” to the stresses of the coming year.

“With the Delta variant accounting for most of the cases in B.C., we’re seeing some concerning results in schools already returned,” she said.

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Mooring said they want to see the mask mandate expanded to include kindergarten to Grade 3s.

They would like to see in-school vaccination clinics across the province, and not just in some school districts.

Click to play video: 'Interior Health hosts vaccine clinics at schools'
Interior Health hosts vaccine clinics at schools

Last month, the province unveiled its back-to-school safety plan, which requires students in grades 4 to 12 to wear a mask in the classroom.

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All K-to-12 staff and visitors will still need to wear masks indoors, and now kids in kindergarten to Grade 3 will be strongly encouraged to wear masks.

Health authorities will also be able to introduce additional measures, specific to individual schools or districts when community transmission rates are higher.

Click to play video: 'B.C. education minister announces new mask rule in schools'
B.C. education minister announces new mask rule in schools

Mooring said the union is continuing to push for upgrades to the school’s ventilation systems to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

She said there needs to be public reporting of the upgrades that need to be made to school ventilation systems.

“Each family and all education workers should know the status of their school’s ventilation system,” Mooring added.

She added they would also like to see a more comprehensive testing system so everyone can have a better understanding of what is taking place in schools.

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“We believe every one of these measures will keep these schools safer and put both families and teachers and other education workers’ minds at ease,” Mooring said.

 

Click to play video: 'Poll reveals majority of B.C. parents want mandatory COVID-19 vaccines in K-to-12 classrooms'
Poll reveals majority of B.C. parents want mandatory COVID-19 vaccines in K-to-12 classrooms

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