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Back to school: More B.C. students return to class after 1-week delay over COVID-19

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Surrey, B.C. -

Students are heading back to school in B.C. Monday, after a one-week delay caused by the highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Many parents, however, say they're are struggling with the decision, unconvinced that enough measures are in place to protect their kids from getting sick.

“I think it's going to be one of the moments where we look back on and say, my government told me it was safe and I had no idea what might happen,” said Mollie Kaye, a parent from Victoria.

Kaye is not sending her daughter back to class this week, and she’s not alone.

Attendance is expected to be down as some parents wait and see what impact the return to school will have on COVID-19 case counts.

B.C. is one of only four provinces and territories continuing in-person learning; the rest of the country has gone virtual.

"Here is what is bewildering to me. The technology for remote learning has been there for two decades. So why are we acting like it's this thing that's not beneficial even if there weren’t a pandemic,” questioned Kaye.

Community transmission is at an all-time high in B.C.

One COVID-19 modelling group has predicted a quarter of a million people in the province have the virus.

On Friday, B.C.'s top doctor announced new safety measures for schools including staggered breaks, virtual assemblies, and a three-layer mask requirement.

But teachers say more needs to be done.

They’d like to see proper PPE for staff, more vaccinations, and better air ventilation.

The province says it has improved air quality in classrooms and that more rapid tests are coming to school districts this week for those showing symptoms.

“We can make schools absolutely safe and right now they're not,” said Lizanne Foster, a Surrey teacher and elected member of the Surrey Teachers Association.

Foster also has concerns about exemptions to the current mask mandate.

"Lots of parents have been using those exemptions so you have students coming into class who are refusing to wear a mask, which puts the teachers in an invidious position because they are aware of you know, they themselves or their colleagues might be medically vulnerable. They might be medically vulnerable students in the class, who are now not protected,” said Foster.

Student or staff members who develop symptoms at school will be given a mask and will be separated from their classmates or colleagues.

They’ll then be sent home as soon as possible and staff will disinfect areas they used.

The province has warned there may be functional closures due to staff illness and that COVID-19 exposure notices will no longer be sent unless there are significant dips in attendance.

Staff and students at post-secondary schools will be returning to in-person classes on Monday as well.

That includes BCIT, despite an online petition signed by thousands of students, calling for a delay in-person learning due to surging case counts.

Other post-secondary institutions like Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia have already moved most classes online.

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Mary Cranston 

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