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Will schools in British Columbia remain open this spring?


I don’t know for sure, but...

As of April 15, 2021, it appears that B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, intends to keep schools open for the remainder of the school year.

It is safe for us to assume that this decision is being revisited often and that the government could move towards a different direction in the future, depending on the available data.

In a press conference on April 15th, Dr. Henry cited a study of the Fraser Health Region conducted over the period of 3 months (January - March, 2021). According to Dr. Henry, the current data supports the notion that schools are a safe place for staff and students and should remain open. I’ve included some of the key points below.


STUDY of the FRASER HEALTH REGION: January - March, 2021

Presented by Dr. Henry on April 15th

315,000 total staff and students in schools

  • 2049 cases (less than 1%)
  • 267 transmissions (13% of the less than 1%)
  • 85% of schools experienced no transmissions

What Has Been Learned?

Presented by Dr. Henry on April 15th

  • Covid cases reflect what is going on in the community around the school
  • Most cases do not result in transmissions at schools
  • If transmissions do occur, it is to 1 or 2 others
  • School closures, including holidays, do not result in a decrease in cases


The provincial health authority continues to implement strict safety measures in our schools including the following: 

  • Stay home when sick
  • Hand washing and sanitizing often
  • Physical distancing
  • Learning Cohorts
  • Directional movement in hallways
  • Enhanced Cleaning
  • Masks indoors for all staff and for students in grade 4 - 12

Additionally, if Fraser Health identifies an individual as having been at school while being infectious with Covid-19, contact tracing leads to requests for staff or students to either self-monitor or self-isolate. We have noticed an increase in requests to self-isolate. Although this is disruptive to our learning goals for students, let’s remember that this is a proactive measure to protect students and staff.

Thank you,

Vijay Manuel, Head of MEI Schools


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