'The numbers are out of control': Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation calls for universal masking, vaccine policies in schools
With COVID-19 case numbers in children under 12 increasing, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation is calling for universal masking and vaccination policies in schools.
The province reported 104 new cases in the zero to 11 age group on Wednesday, with 101 reported the previous day, and the STF said this will continue unless something is changed.
“We still have some school divisions where masking is optional, especially at the high school level, and that’s just unacceptable,” said Patrick Maze, president of STF.
He said the STF is frustrated with the inconsistencies seen in the approach to the virus, with the isolation and masking rules changing depending on where a student is exposed.
“Clearly the high number of students who are contracting COVID-19 under the age of 11 is an indication that what we’re doing isn’t working,” said Maze. “The government restrictions aren’t going far enough and our children are being put at risk due to that.”
He said the two ways to improve safety in schools is a universal masking policy and a having everyone who is eligible for a vaccination required to do so.
“We need to make sure that we get out vaccine numbers up and the way to do that, asking people to do it isn’t working, we need stricter enforcement,” said Maze.
“I think we need to understand the numbers are out of control and we need to get serious about this.”
Safe Schools Saskatchewan is supporting Maze calling for the same change in policy.
Margi Corbett, one of the administrators of the Facebook group and a retired teacher, said their biggest concern is the “mismatch” of communication and difficult to follow guidelines.
Corbett said the “illogical” isolation and masking rules are hard to enforce by principals. For example, she said, a child who is deemed a close contact can attend class, but not participate in extra curricular activities.
She said she is hearing teachers are confused, frustrated and exhausted.
“They’re protecting our kids heroically, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with the fact that the kids are endangered every day,” said Corbett, adding this danger can come home with them to immunocompromised and elderly family members.
Corbett is also a concerned grandmother and is grateful for the work teachers and daycare providers are doing.
Some daycares in the province have re-instated a masking policy in the recent days.
“We think that the more kids we can keep healthy, keep our staff teams healthy and the community, in a sense, the better chance we’ll have that we’re not going to have closures or partial closures to centres and more kids becoming sick and us not being able to provide care,” said Steve Compton, CEO at the YMCA of Regina.
The YMCA decided Tuesday to bring masks back for its staff and children in its childcare centre, as well as the before and after school programs, including those run in partner schools.
The YMCA is also encouraging those who are eligible to get vaccinated.
The ministers of education and health could not be reached for comment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
The pros and cons of discussing mental health issues in the workplace
A group of lawyers has written what they call a groundbreaking book about how mental health is perceived in the legal profession.