Parents want more safety measures on Windsor-Essex school buses to protect young children from COVID

Some public school board parents want to see additional measures on buses where drivers have medical mask exemptions, but the company operating the buses says it has many safety measures in place. 

Sandipan Haldar and Ropa Tharuvai say they are uncomfortable with their children, who are both 10 years old and unvaccinated, riding a bus with a driver who does not have a mask. 

Both parents say they don't mind that the driver has a medical mask exemption, but want to see the public school board and Student Transportation Services address their concerns with additional safety measures, such as plexiglass barriers. 

"This is a big safety concern for not only my child, but for all the children who are travelling on the bus," Haldar said. 

"There should be other ways to protect the children, like the driver can put a face shield." 

"I am a concerned parent, I get anxious when I put my child, who is unvaccinated on the bus," Tharuvai said. "This is going to have an impact and we are seeing the numbers go up ... we want our children to keep going to school." 

Both parents told CBC News that other parents are just as concerned as them. They say about 20 other kids ride the same bus.