Parents must now be present for COVID-19 vaccinations in Sask. elementary schools
Parents will now have to be present for the COVID-19 vaccination of elementary school students in schools, according to a new policy change from the Government of Saskatchewan.
Parental consent forms were previously considered adequate for elementary students beyond grade four.
“Opposed to other vaccines, this one has a lot of misinformation around it,” Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman said.
“We want to make sure that that child is getting that vaccine and the parent is comfortable. We don’t ever want to give the perception that we are giving COVID-19 vaccines behind parent’s backs. That’s why we are asking them to be there up front.”
NDP leader Ryan Meili said treating this vaccine differently than others sends the wrong message.
“But this is what you get. We have an education minister right now who refuses to say that every kid should get vaccinated, refuses to promote vaccination for kids,” Meili said.
The NDP fear that requiring parents to attend school for their children’s vaccine will result in fewer children participating. The health minister hopes not and expects it might even encourage some parents to get vaccinated while they’re there.
Kelly Basaraba is a Prince Albert Parent who believes parents should be present in schools when their children get vaccinated.
“Yes, I think it’s a very good idea that parents should be with their children while they’re getting the needle. They’re not old enough to decide and be there by themselves," she said.
The last-minute policy change saw parents at Vickers School in Prince Albert informed with just a day’s notice.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.