The Nova Scotia government is extending the holiday break for students to Jan. 10, rather than Jan. 6 as originally planned.
Education Minister Becky Druhan said in a news briefing Tuesday that schools are the best place for children to be, even as COVID-19 cases remain high.
“The in-school experience is vital to a young person’s development and well-being,” she said. “Schools are so much more than a place to learn.”
She said learning centres for Nova Scotia’s public schools will open as originally planned on Jan. 4, except for the Chignecto Central Regional Centre for Education, which will open on Jan. 5.
“This extended break will allow for staff who will report to work January 4th through 7th to prepare for the return of students, including planning for best practices in slowing the spread of COVID,” she said.
“We will be re-implementing some of the past practices that have been proven to be successful: limiting movement, reducing numbers in places like cafeterias, removing excess furniture to allow for more spacing in classrooms.”
She said the extended break will also allow families to monitor for symptoms and get vaccinated before children return to school.
Druhan reminded people to stay home from school if they feel “even a little unwell.”
In terms of ventilation, the minister said upgrades have been made in ventilation systems when necessary, inspection regimes have been put in place and there is 24-hour on-call maintenance support.
Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, said the “layers of public health measures” will help keep children safe.
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Those measures include strict cohorting; not holding large assemblies, gatherings and events; no non-essential visitors; proper mask wearing; and continuation of regular hand hygiene and enhanced cleaning.
Strang said the approach to returning to schools is “about balance,” and said the concerns about controlling the spread of a “relatively mild disease in children need to be weighed against the clear harms and risks associated with children not being in school and learning from home.”
“School is so important in so many ways. For some children, it is their safe place where they get the most support physically and emotionally, and many children are not able to learn effectively online from home,” he said.
“I know this shift will be difficult, but it is the right path forward.”
Strang said the idea of regularly testing teachers is an “ongoing topic of discussion,” but noted that rapid tests are in high demand. Both rapid and PCR tests should be reserved for people who are symptomatic, he said.
However, Strang said the province is working to get more testing kits and it will examine the role they could play for teachers.
In a release issued during the news conference, the province said it would no longer contact trace in school settings.
“Public Health is focusing its efforts on those at highest risk of severe disease and hospitalization. Those not considered high risk are being asked to test at home and self-manage their case, including contacting all close contacts,” it said.
“Students who are sick or who are close contacts of a known case should stay home and follow public health guidance that is available online.”
561 new cases
Nova Scotia reported 561 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday afternoon.
In a release, the province said there were 430 cases in the Central Zone, 54 in the Eastern Zone, 39 in the Northern Zone and 38 in the Western Zone.
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 4,292 tests on Monday.
The release said there is one additional case related to an outbreak at a ward at the Halifax Infirmary site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre. An outbreak was reported there the previous day.
“There are now six patients who have tested positive,” the release said. “All patients are being closely monitored and other infection prevention and control measures are in place. Staff testing is underway.”
Strang said during the news conference that cases “remain high, but relatively steady.”
“I hope we’re near the peak of this Omicron wave, but we’re not yet seeing any real decline,” he said.
He said hospitalizations have “moderately increased,” but the health-care system is managing despite workers who are off sick or isolating.
However, he noted that hospitalizations are on the rise in other parts of the country and said the province will continue to monitor the situation.
Nova Scotia did not provide updated hospitalization figures on Tuesday, but as of Dec. 24, there were 15 people in hospital, four of whom were in intensive care.
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