Students in Grade 4 to 12 in Rocky View Schools will be required to wear face masks when they return to school in September.
On Aug. 4, Alberta’s Education Minister Adriana LaGrange and Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw made the announcement that Grade 4 to 12 students and staff must wear masks where physical distancing cannot be maintained, including on school buses.
“Masks can play an important role in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in our schools,” said LaGrange during a press conference.
“As a result, mask use for students in Grade 4 to 12, as well as all school staff, will be mandatory when school returns for the 2020-21 school year.”
She went on to say that exemptions will be made for students and staff who are unable to wear a mask due to medical or other needs.
Mask use for kindergarten to Grade 3 students is optional.
“Mask use for younger children is a challenge due to difficulties with proper fit and compliance,” said LaGrange.
Additionally, current medical evidence shows that children under 10 may be less likely than older children or adults to transmit COVID-19, she added.
All students and staff will get two reusable masks. The government will distribute more than 1.6 million masks to 740,000 students and 90,000 staff.
School staff will get one reusable face shield to use in schools at their discretion. A mask must still be worn while wearing a face shield.
“To be clear, masks are not required inside the classroom when the students are seated, and the teacher is distanced from the students, though they can still be worn if the students or teacher chooses,” said Hinshaw at the press conference.
She added that these measures are similar to those being implemented in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
“I continue to strongly recommend that all Albertans wear masks in indoor settings where distance cannot be maintained regardless of age,” said Hinshaw.
“However, we also know that schools are unique settings where special measures are needed to mitigate the risks of exposure. I believe that requiring masks in all staff and in all children Grade 4 and above is essential to limiting the spread within schools and limiting exposure to all that are involved.”
She added that masks are only one part of protecting children and teachers from COVID-19 and that the other measures such as physical distancing, cohorting, hand washing and enhanced cleaning protocols are all important as well.
Public, separate, francophone, charter and independent schools will also receive two contactless thermometers that will be used at discretion of school authority.
Schools will receive 466,000 litres of hand sanitizer that will be distributed by the school boards.
The province is also working to make changes to COVID-19 testing, according to LaGrange.
“Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services are also working hard to expand testing capacity and reduce turnaround times for testing, including in-school staff, teachers and students so that anyone with symptoms or close contacts of cases can be rapidly tested and receive test results promptly,” according to Alberta Health Services website.
Students and staff will return to school under Scenario 1 – near-normal conditions with additional health measures.
Click here to read our detailed story about what Scenario 1 involves.
What you need to know
- Grade 4 to 12 students and staff must wear masks where physical distancing cannot be maintained, including on school buses.
- Exemptions will be made for students and staff who are unable to wear a mask due to medical or other needs.
- Mask use for kindergarten to Grade 3 students is optional.
- All students and staff will get two reusable masks. Government will distribute more than 1.6 million masks to 740,000 students and 90,000 staff.
- School staff will get one reusable face shield to use in schools at their discretion. A mask must still be worn while wearing a face shield.
stacie@frogmediainc.ca
