Photo courtesy: BC Government / Flickr

By Caden Fanshaw

MASK MANDATE

B.C. makes masks mandatory in high schools with exceptions

Feb 4, 2021 | 11:41 AM

PRINCE GEORGE – BC Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside announced Thursday that masks will be made mandatory inside high school classrooms within the province.

There are plenty of exceptions as to when students still are not required to wear a mask though including when students are,

• Sitting or standing at their seat or workstation in a classroom;
• There is a barrier in place; or
• They are eating or drinking

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As to why the order was changed now, Minister Whiteside says there has been plenty of learning as to what the virus is and isn’t doing and what is and isn’t working in safety plans.

BC Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry re-emphasized the safety of the school system, saying that proof of community transmission remains low.

Dr. Henry also mentioned the confirmed case of the COVID-19 variant detected in a high school within the Fraser Health region was not transmitted to any additional students, and it is proof, “our safety plans in schools are working.”

In the announcement made Thursday morning, BC announced that they will be using the 2nd installment of previously announced federal funding for the school system.

The first half of the investment was allocated in September, the second installment of this funding arrived on Jan. 29, 2021.

The Ministry of Education is allocating $101.1 million to school districts and $7.5 million to independent schools, and is providing school districts an additional $3.5 million to manage COVID-19 exposures in schools.

To support Indigenous learners, $8.2 million will go towards addressing learning loss and student health, technology for remote learning, education and mental health support, adapting classroom spaces and enhanced cleaning.