Dr. Henry urges northern and interior communities to adopt vaccine mandates for schools

Article content

School districts in British Columbia’s northern and inland communities are now being encouraged to implement vaccination mandates for staff due to the high COVID-19 case count.

Article content

“This week in the interior there have been three outbreaks in the schools, so yes, we are very supportive of the mandates in those areas, particularly due to the risk in that community at the moment,” provincial health official Dr. Bonnie Henry. .

But BC School Trustees Association president Stephanie Higginson said school boards also need to consider staffing levels and lack of resources before deciding whether to adopt any mandates.

“What impact will this have on staffing levels and the ability to provide educational programming? Losing two percent of the staff would be a big problem, ”he said.

Last month, the education ministry issued guidelines for school districts to create a vaccine policy.

Article content

The document includes recommendations on data collection, alignment of health orders, human resource policies, and collective bargaining, as well as research on how to protect against legal challenges and ensure they have enough staff “in the event that a significant number of staff require accommodations, alternative measures, or are granted leave without pay. “

So far, no school district in British Columbia has opted for a staff vaccination mandate. Vancouver, Surrey, New Westminster and Abbotsford school districts are among those that have opposed such mandates.

“They have weighed the risk of implementing (a vaccine mandate) with the ability to offer educational programs,” Higginson said. “Both Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health have told them that they do not see a vaccine mandate having a substantial impact on school safety.”

Article content

Higginson said the advice of health officials is one of the most important factors in deciding whether a vaccine mandate is necessary, but said school boards will have to weigh many other factors to determine the best way to keep schools open. He added that the boards are also analyzing data that explains the source of the increase in COVID cases in schools.

“We are seeing an increase in cases in schools as the world has opened up. Children go to birthday parties or are on the same hockey team and are not exposed at school, ”he said. “And these boards are asking, ‘Are these exposures on our staff or on students under 12? And, if it is children under 12 years of age, is it worth vaccinating all of our staff? ‘”

The education ministry has informed school districts that they will have to pay the cost of testing to accommodate staff who cannot be vaccinated for religious or health reasons. Higginson said that may also be a factor in whether a vaccine mandate is the best use of resources.

“I heard that the main problem we hear at the provincial level is that there is a concern for the mental health and well-being of our staff and students,” he said. “So where is the best place to put resources to ensure that schools stay open? A vaccine mandate has to be the last resort. “

Higginson expects districts to make “very tough decisions” in the coming weeks.

“It is a great challenge. It is going to be thoughtful. People want to make sure there are no unintended consequences and advice from health authorities will have an impact on how people move forward with this. “