Parents concerned about COVID-19 in schools, 8 in 10 support mask mandates: survey
Global News
Parents have been watching closely as children returned to classrooms across the country during the fourth wave of the pandemic.
The majority of respondents in a newly released Canada-wide survey say they are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in schools and want children and staff to wear masks.
The survey by the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research at the University of Saskatchewan was done by phone between Sept. 3 and Sept. 28. It asked 1,000 people about any worries in sending kids to school and their thoughts on what public health orders should be in place.
Most respondents (89 per cent) said they were vaccinated. Of those with children 12 and older who are eligible to get a dose, 81 per cent said their kids were also vaccinated.
“Those who are vaccinated are more likely to have kids who are vaccinated and want to see the kids in the schools and staff wearing masks,” said research director Jason Disano.
Parents have been watching closely as children returned to classrooms across the country during the fourth wave of the pandemic.
The survey said respondents were largely confident in the safeguards at their children’s schools.
Disano said it was interesting to see that unvaccinated parents were more likely to trust other parents to keep kids home if they are showing symptoms.
“That’s aligning with the views of those who are unvaccinated…that there’s a level of person responsibility,” he said.