Back to school: Masks no longer required when B.C. teachers and students return from spring break
On Monday, B.C. students and teachers heading back to class after spring break won't have a mask mandate in schools.
Surrey secondary school teacher Annie Ohana said a number of students at L.A. Matheson indicated to her before spring break they would continue wearing a mask for many reasons, including living with more vulnerable family members.
“We know the vaccine is not a cure-all,” she said. “In a building of 1,300 people like my school is, it’s not the same as a small office where you see a couple people.”
Ohana said she is immune-compromised herself, and will also continue to wear a mask.
“The evidence for me is clear that to be safe for a little while longer I will be wearing a mask,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s about making a comfortable environment so that those who want to wear their mask can do so without harassment, without fear.”
Victoria parent Mollie Kaye said she feels lifting the mandate in schools at this time is ill-advised, citing the fact that people may have travelled over spring break, as well as the rise of the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron and ongoing concerns about ventilation.
“It really does feel like an abandonment of the people who are most vulnerable, and you have to wonder why that’s acceptable,” she said. “What I think people are missing is that you extend the pandemic with every round of mass infection because you’re giving the virus an opportunity to replicate and mutate.”
The BC Teachers Federation has called on the province to provide N95 masks through school districts for whoever wants them, and the advocacy group Safe Schools Coalition B.C. has previously called on the government to reinstate the mandate until the end of the school year, citing lower vaccination rates among elementary-school-aged children as one reason for its position.
In a recent statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Health said “public health (officials) based this decision on a careful review of where we are in B.C. in this pandemic.”
“Teachers and staff should model and reinforce wearing a mask is a personal choice that will be supported and treated with respect,” the ministry said. “We all have different levels of comfort as we move toward living with fewer restrictions, and we must respect the choices of those around us.”
The ministry said it will continue to monitor virus activity, including breakthrough infections and severity of illness.
“We do know that we have high levels of immunity in B.C.,” the ministry said. “And that will help keep people protected over the next several weeks and months.”
The ministry added other measures also remain important, such as staying home when sick.
For those who left the country for a spring break vacation, the federal government has said fully vaccinated travellers and unvaccinated children under 12 years old must wear a “well-constructed, well-fitting mask in public settings” for 14 days following entry into Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Tax rebate: Canadians with low to modest incomes to receive payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.