As COVID-19 cases continue to soar in the north, the Prince George District Teachers' Association (PGDTA) is calling on B.C.'s top doctor to ramp up efforts to improve safety in schools.
In an open letter penned to Dr. Bonnie Henry dated for today (Dec. 16), PGDTA Second Vice-President Katherine Trepanier, on behalf of President Joanne Hapke, is urging for change and reconsideration of many of the current school conditions to fight the virus.
This is an open letter to Dr. Bonnie Henry from teachers in Prince George. (Thanks to the Surrey Teachers’ Association for the inspiration). #bced #bcpoli @bctf @DrBonnieHenry @PGTeachers pic.twitter.com/Szt8tsVT9L
— Katherine Trepanier (@kathtrepanier) December 16, 2020
"This letter is to express the concerns that we, the teachers of the Prince George District Teachers' Association have with regards to the current conditions in our schools.
"The recent surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Northern Health has led to delays in contact tracing. Last week Northern Health issued an information bulletin stating that there is even a backlog of people who have tested positive for COVID-19, but have not yet been contacted by public health.
"This has led to uncertainty, anxiety and mistrust. Teachers' experience is that the 'layers of protection' being referred to by you and others is not sufficient in our schools. We can, and should, be doing more."
In a one-on-one interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters on Dec. 3, Dr. Bonnie Henry said the situation in the north is 'concerning' while pointing to several factors, but also acknowledged a lack of resources in the region, with contact tracing becoming tough on the system.
"There's still really important things we can do and Northern Health is keeping up with the contact tracing part but it is getting more challenging," she said.
"So yes, it is concerning. It's concerning because we now have quite a few people who are in hospital in the north and we all know that the capacity in the north for critical care and hospital care is limited and we want to make sure we have the resources for everybody who needs health care in the north."
The Prince George District Teachers' Association has penned a strongly-worded open letter to Dr. Bonnie Henry, asking for changes to be made at safety protocols for teachers and students in schools #bcpoli #covidBC #covid19bc #covid19 #cityofpg @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/C5JI5ZRo5R
— Jess Balzer (@jessicajbalzer) December 17, 2020
In the PGDTA letter, Trepanier asked Henry to reconsider making masks mandatory in all areas of schools.
"As teachers, we know that it is impossible to maintain physical distancing at all times in our classrooms.
"There are many jurisdictions in Canada and throughout the world that have successfully mandated masks for all students and staff in schools.
"This is an easily achievable, inexpensive measure that can be taken immediately."
This is not the first time parents, teachers and other members of school communities across B.C. have asked for stricter mask rules in schools, especially in classrooms, but Henry said to PrinceGeorgeMatters that masks are included in the provincial school safety plan.
"Masks are part of the school safety plan. I think that again is one of those things where there's a small group of the loud voice that undermines that," she explained.
"Masks are absolutely part of the COVID safety plans in schools, particularly for the adults in the school setting and for those places where people are passing by, sort of similar to what we see in the workplaces and the public places.
"In my mind, the mask mandate that we've seen in public indoor spaces brings those places up to the same standard that we have in schools. So they are absolutely part of the COVID safety plans in schools and the same exceptions apply. It's very challenging for younger people and we know that young kids sitting in their classroom doing their work and their studies, that having a mask on can be very challenging for some.
"I think there's a balance that needs to be there and all of the other things that are in place. It's not like they're seeing multiple different people each time they're in their classrooms. They're sitting next to the same people every day, so there are other pieces that are important in the safety plans in schools as well as masks."
The PGDTA also says the cohort model issued by the Ministry of Health and provincial officers is not sufficient enough to help stop the spread of the virus and trace it back to its original origin.
"The cohort model (which was designed not as a preventative layer of protection, but rather a structure to enable better contract tracing) is deeply flawed.
"Referring to the cohort model as a layer of protection has led to a false sense of security because we know that many students frequently mingle with students in other cohorts before and after school.
"Rather than pretending that the cohort model somehow protects students and teachers, we need to reduce classroom density to 50 per cent.
"This will reduce the likelihood of spread in classrooms."
An open letter from the Prince George District Teachers' Association calls on Dr. Bonnie Henry to relook at school safety measures amid surge in COVID-19 cases in Northern Health. (via Contributed) There have been allegations from the school community that Northern Health does not associate students and teachers as close contacts, something the open letter addresses.
Northern Health sent a response to a similar inquiry from PrinceGeorgeMatters on Monday (Dec. 14).
"There is a turnaround time that involves the person noticing their symptoms, getting tested and receiving results, and contact tracing taking place; only then can a notification of a potential exposure be issued, if one is needed," a statement reads.
"Most people receive their results directly (e.g. by text message from the BC Centre for Disease Control), and they may – but are not obliged to – share that result with anyone they wish to inform. As a result, individuals may become aware of their results and/or hear of new cases or potential contacts much sooner than PH can initiate informing of contacts.
"Northern Health currently has approximately 100 staff working on or prepared to support contact tracing; and we are working to increase these numbers through a combination of new hires and deploying other staff to this work."
Numerous schools in Prince George and the region are being listed at a rapid pace for COVID-19 exposures throughout the region.
St. Mary's Catholic School, also in Prince George, announced its starting winter break earlier due to staffing shortages amid the pandemic.
As of publication, the full list of schools is as follows (Dec. 16, 5:35 p.m.):
- College Heights Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 10 and 11, 2020
- D.P. Todd Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 1 and 2, 2020
- Dawson Creek Secondary - South Peace Campus (SD59) - Dec. 8, 2020; Nov. 16-18, 2020; Sept. 23-25, 2020
- Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2020; Dec. 1-2, 2020; Nov. 30, 2020
- Smithers Secondary (SD54) - Dec. 7 and 10, 2020
- Westwood Elementary (SD57) - Dec. 8, 2020
- Heather Park Elementary (SD57) - Dec. 1-2, 3, 4, 7-8, 2020
- Fort Nelson Secondary (SD81) - Dec. 7, 2020; Oct. 15-16, 2020
- Skeena Middle (SD82) - Dec. 4 and 7, 2020
- Ecole Central Elementary (SD60) - Dec. 4, 2020
- Nak’albun Elementary (Independent) - Dec. 3-4, 2020; Nov. 22-25, 2020; Sept. 16-18, 2020
- Ecole Central Elementary (SD60) - Dec. 2-3, 2020
- Suwilaawks Community School - Terrace (SD82) - Dec. 1-2, 3-4, 2020; Nov. 27, 30, 2020
- St. Mary's Catholic School (Diocese of Prince George) - Dec. 1-2, 3-4, 2020
- Kitwanga Elementary (SD82) - Dec. 1-3, 2020
- Prince George Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 1-3, 2020; Nov. 18, 2020; Oct. 2, 2020
- Bert Bowes Middle (SD60) - Dec. 1-4, 2020; Nov. 16, 18-20, 30, 2020
- Margaret Ma Murray Community School (SD60) - Dec. 1-4, 2020; Nov. 23-26, 27, 30, 2020
- Shas Ti-Kelly Road Secondary (SD57) - Dec. 1-2, 2020; Nov. 30, 2020
- Uplands Elementary (SD82) - Dec. 1, 2020; Nov. 30, 2020
- Fort St. James Secondary (SD91) - Dec. 1, 2020; Nov. 19-20, 20-26, 30, 2020
- Veritas Catholic School (Diocese of Prince George) - Nov. 30, 2020
- Anne Roberts Young Elementary (SD60) - Nov. 30, 2020
- Bert Ambrose Elementary (SD60) - Nov. 30, 2020
- David Hoy Elementary (SD91) - Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2020; Nov. 25-26, 2020; Sept. 17-18, 2020
- William Konkin Elementary in Burns Lake (SD91) - Nov. 16, 23-24, 23-27, 2020
- Energetic Learning Campus in Fort St. John (SD60) - Nov. 16-20, 23-27, 30, 2020
- Peden Hill Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 12-17, 17-20, 24-27, Nov. 30, 2020
- Centennial Christian in Terrace (Independent) - Nov. 23-26, 2020
- North Peace Secondary (SD60) - Nov. 10, 12-13, 16, 19-20, 24-26, 2020
- Sacred Heart Elementary (Diocese of Prince George) - Nov. 25-27, 2020
- Charlie Lake Elementary (SD60) - Nov. 23-24, 16-26, 2020
- Ecole College Heights Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 19-20, 20-24, 2020
- Beaverly Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 23-24, 2020
- Foothills Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 23, 2020
- Lakes District Secondary (SD91) - Nov. 23, 2020
- Chetwynd Secondary (SD59) - Nov. 13, 2020
- Van Bien Elementary (SD57) - Nov. 9-10, 2020
- Ron Brent Elementary (SD57) - Oct. 30, 2020
- Hudson's Hope Elementary-Junior Secondary (SD60) - Oct. 26-Nov. 4, 2020
- Immaculate Conception School (Diocese of Prince George) - Oct. 21-23, 2020
- Roosevelt Park Elementary (SD52) - Oct. 21-22, 2020
- Notre Dame in Dawson Creek (Private) - Oct. 13-14, 2020
- Quesnel Junior Secondary (SD28) - Sept. 10-11, 15-18, 2020
- Ecole Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) - Sept. 10-11, 2020
