Mask mandates end in Atlantic Canadian schools
For the primary time in a very long time, college students, academics and employees in all 4 Atlantic provinces are not required to put on a masks whereas in public faculties.
Masks mandates had been lifted in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador on Tuesday. New Brunswick ended its masking requirement in public faculties on March 14, following March break.
Whereas some say they’re happy the COVID-19 measure has been lifted, others want it had remained in place till the top of the varsity 12 months.
“It appears like we may have saved it on till the top of the varsity 12 months,” one guardian advised CTV Information. “We’re so shut that it feels a bit disappointing to have it lifted at this level, so our youngsters are undoubtedly going to be maintaining them on till the top of the varsity 12 months.”
“We’re snug with our son going with no masks. We’ve talked about distance and washing arms,” mentioned one other guardian.
In March, a gaggle of medical doctors at RisePEI’s IWK Well being Centre efficiently lobbied Nova Scotia to maintain masking obligatory in public faculties when the province beforehand deliberate to drop it.
Although that did not occur this time, medical doctors are nonetheless encouraging college students and employees to maintain their masks on.
In a tweet Monday, Dr. Andrew Lynk, the pediatrics chair on the IWK Well being Centre, mentioned Nova Scotia’s health-care system continues to be strained.
“There are tons of COVID infections round. NS Pediatricians strongly advocate we proceed masking until college ends in 4 weeks. Shield yourselves, your classmates & academics, your dad and mom & household,” wrote Lynk on Twitter.
Lynk advised CTV Information staffing points are additionally nonetheless an issue.
“Our IWK emergency division and inpatient wards are experiencing extraordinarily excessive volumes, and we nonetheless have staffing challenges due to COVID. Our group is anxious in regards to the ensuing impression on our pediatric health-care system,” he mentioned.
The president of the Nova Scotia Lecturers Union advised CTV Information Monday the membership is cut up on the difficulty.
He additionally raised issues that the weakened system would possibly break.
“We had been already in the midst of a substitute trainer disaster earlier than Omicron and that is simply been made worse. So, I feel we’re fearful. Masking, actually, has been the one layer of actual safety in faculties since November and we’ve barely been in a position to hold the doorways open on a day-to-day foundation,” mentioned Wozney Monday.
Well being officers in all 4 Atlantic provinces nonetheless strongly advocate masking in public areas, though it is not obligatory.
