Key sentence:
- Students are preparing to switch to online learning for at least two weeks as the number of COVID-19 cases in New Brunswick continues to rise.
- Cardy advised students who were given rapid testing kits to keep them in their backpacks until a back-to-school date was set.
As continue to rise of New Brunswick COVID-19 cases, students are preparing to switch to online learning for at least two weeks.
Dominic Cardy, the Minister of Education, announced on Friday.
Students were assumed to return to class on January 10, but the ministry changed its mind due to rising COVID-19 case counts and that Omicron is highly transmissible.
“On January 10, we were excited to welcome students back to in-person learning in our province’s K–12 schools.” On December 31, Dominic Cardy said, “Unfortunately, the situation has evolved, and circumstances have changed.”
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“In light of the present situation with the Omicron variant, students will learn from home beginning January 11 and continuing until at least Friday, January 21, with this decision being re-evaluated during the week of January 17.”
In previous interviews, Cardy has stated that switching to online learning is not ideal due to the implications for student mental health and access to resources.
“This will have an impact on our at-risk and vulnerable students,” he said. “We’ll be working with schools to see what supports we can provide, and affected students and families will be given more information next week.”
COVID-19 has been affecting 193 schools since early September. There have been 897 incidents involving schools.
Cardy advised students who were given rapid testing kits to keep them in their backpacks until a back-to-school date was set.
Save them if you’re symptomatic, Cardy advised.
The kits have been extremely popular. According to Health Minister Dorothy Shephard, more kits will be delivered to the province in the coming weeks.
“Please wait until we have a confirmed return to school date before using those kits unless you become symptomatic.” Everyone should have those kits, in my opinion. “Please don’t use those school kits until we have a confirmed back-to-school date for in-person learning,” Cardy said.
Source: Global News
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