Catholic school teachers latest to call on province to reinstate COVID-19 mask mandate
Posted April 8, 2022 6:33 pm.
COVID-19 is not over.
That’s what the union representing Catholic school teachers says and calls on the province to reinstate the mask mandate in schools.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association says in a statement online that teachers are missing work because of COVID-19 at an alarming rate, and those absences are going unfilled.
“Students, families, teachers, and education workers – everyone – we all want students in school, safely enjoying the benefits of in-person learning,” the union’s president, Barb Dobrowolski, says in part, “what our students and communities cannot endure is more stress and anxiety from insufficient safety measures, school closures, and whiplash disruptions to the learning environment.”
The union says the number of children being admitted to hospital with symptoms of the virus “is spiking.”
RELATED: Ontario hospitalizations due to COVID hit highest mark since mid-February
“As per data from the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, case counts are skyrocketing, with COVID-19 wastewater measurements indicating that the province is now seeing more than 100,000 cases a day,” it says.
In the middle of last month, Ontario’s top doctor rejected proposals to extend mask mandates at schools in multiple regions.
Dr. Kieran Moore said that the Omicron peak was behind us, and with the province’s high vaccination coverage and antiviral treatments available, Ontario has the tools necessary to manage the impact of COVID-19.
“Schools are the largest daily gathering places in Ontario,” the union says, “masking remains one of the most effective proactive and protective measures to reduce COVID-19 transmission in our communities and classrooms.”
The union says reinstating the mask mandate would help keep schools open.
#CatholicTeachers call on @FordNation to immediately reinstate the mask mandate in #onted schools.
Our students and educators cannot endure more stress/anxiety from insufficient safety measures, school closures, and whiplash disruptions. #onpolihttps://t.co/A9f8M5ObYS pic.twitter.com/WEhVdIlWJo
— Catholic Teachers (@OECTAProv) April 8, 2022
