A post for all the teachers, students, administrators and support people who are heading back to school in the following week and to the parents who support them:
Remember, we have come a long way in the fight against COVID 19. The pandemic was declared almost six months ago. Canada has done extremely well. Some schools are ready for a return, others may not be, but regardless, we now know that the risk of transmitting this virus is reduced when you combine mask wearing, hand washing and physical distancing.
The best way to prevent transmission is to keep it out of our communities (and therefore our schools) in the first place. Many school boards have brilliant plans in place despite the lack of provincial government leadership in this area. Thank you to the principals, teachers, board members and administrators who have worked so hard this summer to deal with an extremely complicated situation.
Multiple reports from around the world indicate that children
account for less than 5-10% of COVID 19 infections and evidence is mounting that children are less susceptible to COVID 19 infection and are less likely to transmit the virus to others. There is also strong evidence that the majority of children who
become infected are either asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms, such as cough, fever, and sore throat.
Children are resilient and can readily adapt to new circumstances. Most, at all ages, can wear a mask and should wear a mask whether this is mandated by your school board or not. Parents, please encourage your child to wear a mask even if they are under the age of 10. This is their contribution to the fight against COVID 19 and they should be proud of the role they are playing. Let's tell them how proud we are of them. They will feel a sense of pride and confidence instead of fear.
Teachers will be wearing masks. If your class size is too large and physical distancing is not possible, keep the mask on, wash your hands frequently and remember that it is very, very unlikely at this point in time that anyone in your class has COVID 19. Be aware of your surroundings. Being closer than 2 m from another person is still a low risk situation if the time spent close to that person is limited.
The number of new daily cases has been slowly increasing across the country. Our numbers are still very low but they are increasing. Sorry to say it but this is likely the result of summer socializing with a disregard of public health guidelines. The summer is almost over. We will be in this fight for months to come. Please adhere to the guidelines. Keep our teachers and children safe by following the rules and keeping the rate of community transmission low.
Let's get back to the basics. We are not out of the woods yet.
This is what we all must do in order to make this return to school a success and to allow our teachers to do what they do best; teach.
1/ Stay within your social bubble of 10 or less people. We are in the middle of an unprecedented global pandemic. Almost 1 million people have died. There is no room for the summer complacency that some have fallen into to continue into the fall and winter. We do not have that luxury. Do not blend bubbles, extend the number of people in your bubbles or jump from one bubble to the next.
2/ Wear a mask. If you are confused about where you must wear a mask, be on the safe side and wear it all the time while you are in public.
3/ Stay 2 m away from people who are not in your social bubble. Fifty people can gather inside but not in your living room or basement. Everyone of those people need to have the room to keep a 2 m distance from people who are not bubbled with them.
4/ If you have symptoms that may indicate COVID 19 infection, stay home and get tested. This includes children who are attending school. These are the symptoms that may be of concern:
new or worsening cough
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
temperature equal to or over 38°C
feeling feverish
chills
fatigue or weakness
muscle or body aches
new loss of smell or taste
headache
gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting)
feeling very unwell
Children have been more commonly reported to have abdominal symptoms, and skin changes or rashes.
I firmly believe that there is nothing more important than the health and education of our children. They are our future. I for one, have not extended my bubble beyond my husband. I have caught myself wearing a mask outside with no one in sight. I feel uncomfortable without it on. Why? Because this is serious business and I feel very responsible for my fellow man.
If we could get back to these guidelines, all of us, and adhere to them as if our life depended on it, COVID 19 will not get into our schools. Let's do this......for them.
I am sending many positive thoughts and prayers your way tonight. Please continue to advocate for a safe return to school for all. Click on this link to continue to fill our MPP's inboxes with our concerns.
Anne-Marie
Please share
Check out a great place for mental health support here:
For local assistance with anxiety and depression:
CMHA WW Website: www.cmhaww.ca
Here 24/7 at 1-844-HERE-247 or www.here247.ca.
And for post-secondary students, Good2Talk
For equal access to treatment in Lesotho!
Lets keep our local charities strong by donating here:
For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:
When 1/2 of humanity is going around wearing masks it's time we asked ourselves where have we gone so wrong
ReplyDelete