Public schools and post-secondary could see a “full relaunch” in September, according to the deputy minister of health.
It could begin with limited operations incorporating hygiene rules and policies on gatherings.
Details are expected from the Ministry of Education over the next few days.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said school districts would have to determine how best to implement policies in their areas.
On Monday, Richmond’s medical health officer encouraged the school district to think about how they could pilot having students back in class before the end of this school year in preparation for next September.
Dr. Meena Dawar said it’s important to keep COVID-19 at “manageable levels,” however, it is anticipated there will be easing of some restrictions with schools and businesses figuring out how they will operate.
“Clearly, we can’t go back to life as we knew it pre-COVID yet, at least not until a vaccine is found,” she said. “But there is some space and breathing room to ease restrictions somewhat so that we can get society back to a new normal.”
Dawar was giving an update to the Richmond COVID-19 Community Task Force on Monday morning.
Generally, children and youth seem to be more protected and resilient from COVID-19, Dawar pointed out.
Piloting how students would attend schools already in May and June would help school districts gather experience and prepare for the operating of schools in the fall, she added.
In the meantime, the school district has been planning how a return to school could look like.
Richmond school superintendent Scott Robinson said they are hearing “all sorts of rumours” about a partial return to school – different scenarios are, for example, having K to Grade 5 students in schools, having Grades 11 and 12 or something in between, he said. It could possibly be part-time return or full-time return, he added, but they have been looking at how different scenarios could work.
— with files from Glacier Media
