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Most Powell River students must now wear masks

Grade 4 to 12 pupils are now required to abide by province-wide order
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NEW EDICT: Masks will now be required for students in grades 4 to 12 in BC schools.

Students in grades four to 12 will now be required to wear masks full-time while they are in school and Powell River and District Teachers’ Association president Izi Loveluck is supportive of the measure.

“Although it will be difficult for all of us, I very much support the changes outlined by Dr. Henry,” said Loveluck. “I am reassured by the new guidelines that include masks for students in grade four and up.

“So far, we have been spared large numbers of COVID-19 infections here, but this can easily change. I urge everyone in our community to follow the revised guidelines, particularly around non-essential travel.”

Loveluck said Powell River teachers will continue to follow school safety plans and be vigilant about reminding students about sanitation, as well as teaching younger students about mask-wearing when they return from spring break.

“As Dr. Henry said, it is extremely important that parents keep students at home and have a COVID-19 test if the family has been travelling,” said Loveluck. “Hopefully, these new measures, together with the continued vaccination program, will result in case numbers dropping.”

Teachers throughout BC are relieved to learn the province has strengthened its position on mask-wearing in schools, with students in grades four to 12 now required to wear their masks full-time while at school, and mask-wearing strongly encouraged among younger students in kindergarten to grade three, according to the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF).

“Despite some vague wording, we have been assured by the ministry of education that the announcement equates to a province-wide expansion of the orders that were introduced in Surrey over the weekend,” stated BCTF president Teri Mooring in a media release. “Our sincere thanks go out to the many teachers and parents who have advocated tirelessly to get this safety measure in place as an added layer of protection for teachers and students.”

Although teachers welcome this enhanced mask mandate, much more needs to be done to reduce the risk of in-school transmission, according to the BCTF. In particular, Mooring stated that teachers know there are schools with inadequate ventilation systems; in these cases, classrooms need portable ventilation systems provided by districts. Additionally, hybrid learning options need to be available to school districts to allow for adequate physical distancing, especially where there are high levels of community transmission of the virus, the release added.

“Our unwavering advocacy has delivered some of the results we have been seeking,” stated Mooring, “and now it’s time to shift our focus to the remaining health and safety concerns in schools throughout the province.”