Rising number of COVID cases extends Christmas vacation for most B.C. students

Rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in B.C. means students from kindergarten to grade 12 will return to school on a gradual basis starting next week.

Schools will open on either Monday or Tuesday, depending on the school district, for staff, children of health-care workers and those have support needs.

The rest of the elementary and secondary school students will return to class, Jan. 10, to give schools time to adjust schedules for things like staggered start and recess times, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced during a press briefing today, Dec. 19.

She noted that the higher number of COVID cases – a record 2,944 were recorded in the past 24 hours in B.C. – means more people are off work sick. There are 16,014 active cases in the province.

READ MORE: B.C. Teachers Federation wants delay of school restart as COVID-19 cases surge

“We know face to face learning is important for intellectual, emotional and social well being of students,” Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside said during the same media briefing.

Next week, staff will have time to work out enhanced safety measures. The goal is to make it through the school year with in-class teaching.

Dr. Henry insisted that there will be no further delay in the opening of schools beyond next week. That gives staff the time they need to plan for dealing with things like an expected increase in staff absenteeism.

She also stuck by her position that she will not impose a mandatory vaccine requirement on school staff.

“Everyone should be immunized and that’s important but it’s up to the employer, which is the school district, to bring in those policies,” Dr. Henry said. “Having said that, we do know that, across the board, we have very high rates of immunization of staff.”

 — This story was updated at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021 to add comment about mandatory vaccinations.

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