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By Daniela Ginta

THE WAY I SEE IT

GINTA: Schools are still open – should we worry?

Nov 23, 2020 | 11:58 AM

LAST WEEKEND MY ELDEST announced that someone at NorKam had COVID-19. That was according to social media, which of course, I said then, has a 50 percent of being accurate.

Shortly after, the news was official: someone at NorKam was indeed diagnosed with the virus. Relief that it was not my son’s school was mixed with a cascade of questions: will everyone who came in contact with the student be tested?

What about the possibility that the student had come in contact with many others, in the same school or others? Will the classmates and their parents be given the heads-up and how many of them will get tested so that the spread does not progress? A NorKam parent told me that information has been scarce.

On social media teachers have expressed worries about the virus spreading without enough tracing. If kids stay for a couple of days only until symptoms go away, there is a risk that that though they are symptom-free, some might still be carrying the virus which increases the risk of transmission to peers and staff.

Every district has different rules, but in ours it seems that kids are not supposed to have their masks on in class.

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We’re told that kids up to the age of 19 are somewhat safer from the virus than the rest of us. That’s great news, but the bad news is that they don’t live alone, and they come in contact with adults while at school too.

Also, some high school students still get together for parties on weekends, which is mind-blowing. Whatever they come in contact with – at less than 6 ft distance, that is, they bring it to their cohort and school mates on Monday.

On a side note, I will mention yet again the bus stop conundrum. Masks may be required on the bus, but while waiting at the bus stop social distancing and masks are non-existent for the most part.

I want to keep positive and say it’s been good so far and let’s hope it stays that way, but truth is, it will stay good if we all work to make it so.

At this point, 19 high schools in Surrey have received notice of public exposure. I expect that classmates and close friends would be tested and hopefully all who turn out positive will be quarantining at home to reduce the spread. Reality might only meet me halfway though.

A teacher from Metro Vancouver is presently in ICU fighting for her life after being exposed to Covid-19 at the school she teaches at.

Because of the risk of events like that, The BC Teachers Federation has asked the premier to consider reducing class sizes to 15. Many have also brought up that the risk is increased by the poor ventilation systems in many schools.

Also, transparency is not always applied when Covid-19 cases pop up. Earlier in the school year, a teacher from the Lower Mainland tested positive after being exposed to the virus via a student who tested positive. The health authority withheld the information from the teacher, so it’s worth wondering how many students in that classroom and school got infected, and how large the spread was in the end. And why the lack of transparency?

The way it stands right now, it’s clear that many of us want to have our kids able to attend school. However, the rules of engagement need to be revised.

The ‘monitor closely for any symptoms’ is as good as any collection of empty words if there is no transparency, testing, and if the concerns of teachers and parents are not taken into account.

Also, it’s great to honour our healthcare workers with bells and ‘thank you’ signs, but ultimately, we can show that we truly care by reducing the risks whenever and wherever possible so that they don’t get overwhelmed by the increase in numbers.

It’s bad enough already; let’s try our hardest to not make it worse.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.