Manitoba government roundly criticized for ditching mask mandate for new school year

The Manitoba government is getting a failing grade from some health experts, parents, students, teachers and more and the first day of school is still a month away.

The provinceannounced Thursday there will be no mask mandate in place this fall when thousands of unvaccinated kids return to in-person learning amid an anticipated fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tanjina Islam hoped to hear an announcement about a mask mandate from Manitoba's education minister and chief public health officer. What she got instead was astrongrecommendation to mask up.

"I'm very, very scared," said Islam. She'svaccinated buther son isn't old enough to be immunized yet. "I don't want my son to be a number in the news. That's the last thing a parent could want."

Thursday's announcement wasn't what Dr. Philippe Lagac-Wienswanted either.

WATCH |New back to school plan worries some parents:

New back to school plan worries some parents

3 years ago

Duration 1:35

Manitoba students will return to classrooms September 7 to what will be a near-normal start to the year. Under the province's new COVID-19 back-to-school plan, students can attend in-person classes full time and extracurricular activities including sports and field trips will resume.

The medical microbiologist at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg is worried axing the mask mandate across Manitoba communities, as well as in schools, sets the province up for an unnecessary early uptick in cases of coronavirus this fall.

That includes the highly transmissible delta variant,which isn't causing big issues in Manitoba now but is wreaking havoc in other jurisdictions. Where it is spreading, it's mostly hitting unvaccinated populations.

"We might really be setting us up for an early emergence of delta variants in schools which really won't be mitigated as well if not everybody is wearing masks, especially in those unvaccinated kids," he said.

There are currently no COVID-19 vaccines approved for children under 12.That could change in the coming months as more clinical trial evidence surfaces in younger groups.

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, said officials will watch trends carefully and can reintroduce mask mandates if need be. That's what happened last year, when Manitoba's coronavirus outlook worsened.

WATCH | Dr. Brent Roussin on recommending not requiring masks:

Dr. Brent Roussin on why Manitoba is removing school mask mandate

3 years ago

Duration 0:37

Manitobas Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says the provinces announcement that masks wont be required in schools come September was based on its current COVID-19 risk level though that could still change.

"I think as parents and as Manitobans we need to accept that at any given moment they might say everyone needs to wear masks,"Lagac-Wienssaid.

"Otherwise, it's going to be further accusations of being really reactive in waiting for a disease to be completely out of hand."

'Dangerous and premature'

The vice-president of the Manitoba Teachers' Society said there areelements of the back-to-school announcement he does approve ofincluding mental health supports for staff and studentsand apledge to work with the teachers' society moving forward.

But theunion, whichrepresents over 16,000 public school teachers, is disappointed by the mask plan, says Nathan Martindale.

"We're calling on the government to make a change to the plan before schools starts to ensure the safety of all staff and students," he said."It's a dangerousand premature decision to drop thismask mandate."

Education Minister Cliff Cullen said the province won't stand in the way of school divisions from implementing stronger rules should they so chose.Martindale says that's not good enough.

"It's easy to continue the mask mandate that we've already had in place for such a long time," he said. "It makes no sense, really, to stop."

Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinewalso said removing the mandate is incomprehensible.

"We've seen this plot before, and it didn't end too well for Manitobans during the second and third waves," he said.

The Winnipeg School Division plans to follow Manitoba Public Health guidelines but will consider additional measures should the COVID-19 situation change in the community, said division boardchair Betty Edel.

Seven Oaks School Division superintendent Brian O'Leary said hisdivision always attempts to respect public health guidance.

He thinks Seven Oaks will establish an expectation that students wear masks, and theiruse willlikely continue to be mandatory on school buses in the division.

'I'll still be wearing my mask'

As teacher and parent of two young girls who aren't old enough to be immunized,Garden City Collegiate math teacher Karina Hill is hoping divisions do impose mask mandates.

"I am disappointed to hear that the word 'recommended' was used as opposed to 'mandatory,'" Hil toldUp to Speedhost Faith Fundal on Thursday.

She isexcited to get back to full-time in-person learning and will continue to wear a mask.

One of her students, Madysen Escoto, was also excited to learn students will be goingback to school full-time, as she headsinto Grade 12 this year.

"But I'll still be wearing my mask, even knowing that they're not mandatory," she said.

"Masks are something that help ease my mind, knowing that it can help reduce the risk of spreading and contracting COVID-19, and just to help keep others safe as well."

As of Thursday, about two-thirds of Manitobansin the 12 to 17 age group had one COVID-19 vaccine dose and roughly 52 per cent had two, the province said in a news release.