Parents and teachers call for transparency from public health about school COVID-19 cases – Halifax

For the previous week, guardian Jessica Morine has been calling for École Mer et Monde to shut resulting from ongoing COVID-19 publicity notices. Since Sept. 24, the varsity has despatched out 10 publicity notices to folks however the faculty has remained open.

On Thursday the varsity partnered with public well being to host a fast testing clinic, however Nova Scotia Well being just isn’t reporting if or what number of circumstances have been found in consequence, noting that “circumstances are reported by well being zones.”

On Sunday night a discover went out {that a} completely different faculty, Dartmouth South Academy, could be closed for the week resulting from COVID-19. That faculty has despatched out seven publicity notices since Oct.10.

“Once I went to look, they’d much less exposures than our faculty,” mentioned Morine.

“So what’s the deciding issue? I don’t know and I want we knew.”

The Nova Scotia Academics Union president says it’s been a priority all through the entire pandemic.

“The continuing nervousness that folks really feel about what’s going to occur subsequent in faculties is pushed by the unwillingness of public well being to be clear about when are we going to maneuver to a different degree of intervention of our faculties,” mentioned Paul Wozney.

After faculty on Monday, the province introduced two extra faculties shall be closing for the rest of the week: Joseph Howe Elementary and École Mer et Monde.

Morine says she’s glad to lastly see her daughter’s faculty shut, however doesn’t perceive why it took so lengthy.

“At this level, I really feel prefer it’s public well being attempting to save lots of face on the expense of our youngsters,” she mentioned.

“They’re telling us time and again that is the most secure place for our youngsters, when clearly it’s not.”

She’s calling for extra transparency.

“I want to know the way they contemplate youngsters a detailed contact, what deciding elements go into closing a faculty, when does it grow to be an excessive amount of and it’s thought of an excessive amount of of an outbreak?”

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Clayton Park faculty briefly closing resulting from COVID-19

NDP MLA and schooling critic Suzy Hansen says Morine just isn’t alone in her calls, and that she’s listening to loads of issues from mother and father in regards to the lack of transparency.

“Proper now we wish to have the ability to hold our youngsters protected, so if faculty is the place we’re sending them, we need to be sure that they’re as protected as attainable. The numbers proper now aren’t actually displaying how that’s taking place,” mentioned Hansen.

The MLA for Halifax-Needham says there must be extra clear messaging to households and that ought to embody particulars on the variety of circumstances in faculties — not simply the variety of exposures.

“As a guardian, I feel now we have the suitable to know,” mentioned Hansen.

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