Vulnerable students, families want a normal school year too, but COVID-19 still top of mind

After attending classes virtually during the pandemic, Yellowknife student Riley Oldford felt this fall was the right time to return to school in person.

While his experience learning from home was "a pretty good one overall," the high school senior noted that being back has meant he's catching up with friends. For more than two years, they haven't had many face-to-face meet-ups beyond a few summertime gatherings or the rare sledge hockey game. 

"If I were to get COVID, there's a much higher chance that I'd be at risk to be hospitalized or in intensive care," said the Grade 12 student, who has cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease. "I've been trying to avoid getting it altogether, so I don't have to find out what could happen."

With few or no COVID-19 measures left in K-12 settings and a renewed focus on in-person rather than virtual learning, this back-to-school season has felt more like pre-pandemic times for many Canadians. Yet coronavirus concerns remain top-of-mind for students and families who are immunocompromised or have underlying medical conditions, with some experts saying they've been left to fend for themselves. 

Prior to COVID-19, Oldford had developed some basic strategies for getting through his school day. He's no stranger to hand sanitizer, for instance, and as someone who uses a walker and a wheelchair for mobility, he avoids crowds when moving between classes.

He's since added a few more. This fall, he's wearing a K95 or similar respirator at school and anywhere in public. Teachers help seat him as far as possible from his classmates. At lunch, he seeks vacant rooms no one's been in, so he can eat there alone. 

"[Before] I never really worried about what I'm breathing really or where I'm eating or who I'm sitting next to in class and how close they are," he said. "I kind of just went about my day-to-day life."

While Oldford says he understands officials lifting measures, he admits the drastic shift in many people's behaviour feels odd. 

"I've seen people that'll wear masks, but otherwise they kind of act as COVID doesn't exist. I guess maybe it doesn't for them, but for some people it's still a big issue."

Roger Haskett is also juggling mixed feelings — joy at in-person reunions, but also ongoing concern — as his kids returned to school in Vancouver this month. He described his family as "on the compromised list:" he has one kidney and a type of kidney disease.

"We understand that society is wanting to move on from COVID. Sadly, COVID hasn't made a decision to move on from our world yet," he said.

For most of the past few years, Haskett and his wife Jeni chose to homeschool their 11-year-old, Cody, and eight-year-old, Emme. Earlier this year, the kids were back in school; the family felt more comfortable after the kids received their COVID-19 vaccinations, the adults got boosted and students were still wearing masks.

Haskett thinks masking this fall is "a smart choice" for classrooms. He also believes improving ventilation should be a much bigger priority with the ongoing pandemic on top of fall allergies and the cold and flu season.

"We should clearly be making choices that help protect the most vulnerable in our society, but those are not the only reasons," he said. Fewer people getting COVID "would be better for our world, our economy, our society, for everyone — not just the immunocompromised."