New Brunswick students will return to full-time, in-person learning Monday for the first time since before the holiday break.
In correspondence with the province’s shift to Level 2 of its COVID-19 winter plan, students will transition from learning online at home to learning from their desks.
Some students continued attending in-person over recent weeks, due to specific needs or concerns.
During a news conference on Jan. 27, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Jennifer Russell, said schools are the best place for kids, both mentally and physically, and though there are risks, they are manageable.
Making the risks manageable means changes for how students and teachers interact while class is in session.
Measures
Students from K-12 must wear masks both indoors and outdoors, but students in Grade 8 and below can ditch the face coverings when they are within their class grouping outdoors in Level 2.
Recommendations by Public Health suggest students bring well-fitted, three-layer masks.
For teachers and school staff, the province says they have acquired a supply of medical-grade masks, rated as KN95 or higher.
New Brunswick has overhauled its guidance for sports, music, and recreation, which will apply to schools.
The province has also updated the documents containing the school winter plan for Early Learning and Childcare facilities, Kindergarten to Grade 8 students, and Grades 9-12 students.
Rapid tests
Unlike before the holiday break, students will no longer have the same access to point-of-care rapid tests (POCT) due to the adjustments to provincial testing methods, which now rely on POCT.
The province has indicated students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 experiencing symptoms should register online for rapid tests.
If they show one new or worsening symptom that develops, they will need a negative POCT before they have returned to school.
Those with constant and recurring symptoms such as seasonal allergies can continue attending school after they have tested negative through a rapid test.
Reporting cases
In past, Public Health had been notifying schools of new cases, conducting contact tracing, and providing notification letters to close contacts.
However, changes announced two weeks ago require parents to notify the school principal and close contacts if their child tests positive with a PCR or rapid test.
School districts said changes are a result of the “significant rise” in COVID-19 cases in the province.
Families will also no longer receive notification of school cases directly through School Messenger, social media, emails, or otherwise.
Instead, districts will post all school notifications daily to a new COVID-19 dashboard on their website. The dashboards will be updated late each weekday afternoon, with the weekend cases being added on Monday.
Between Sept. 7 and Dec. 22, the province reported 897 cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick schools.
With files from Brad Perry and Robert Lothian.
