CBE calls on province to bring back contact tracing, mandatory isolation in classrooms
CBC
The Calgary Board of Education is calling on the province to implement additional COVID-19 measures in schools, after more than 350 COVID-19 cases were reported in the first few weeks.
On Wednesday, the province announced new public health measures such as mandatory masking for students in Grades 4 and up, and staff and teachers in all grades.
However the province has decided not to continue contact tracing in classrooms or notify schools of positive cases like they did in the previous year — forcing some school boards to rely on the honour system.
In Calgary, two of its school boards — the Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District — have taken it upon themselves to send notifications after families self-report positive cases.
But in a letter dated Friday, the CBE has pushed back on this and asked that the province immediately reinstate contact tracing by Alberta Health Services, as well as mandatory isolation for positive COVID-19 cases in schools.
"We are frustrated by the lack of coherent provincial guidance being provided to our families and students," read the letter.
"Families have received mixed messages about the real and substantial risk that COVID-19 presents to our communities and school jurisdictions are left to fill the public health gap left by the government."