Outbreak status at school means proof of vaccination required for Swift Current volleyball tourney

Anyone going to a provincial volleyball championships in Swift Current this weekend will need proof of vaccination or negative testing to attend.

That's despite the province's education minister directing school boards not to prohibit eligible, unvaccinated students from taking part in extracurricular activities.

In a letter sent to all school division board chairs in the province on Wednesday, Dustin Duncan wrote that under the Education Act, all students should be given the opportunity to fully participate in athletic and arts events, provided they are asymptomatic and not under an isolation order because they have COVID-19 or are a close contact of a positive case.

Duncan said he was contacted by parents in his constituency of Weyburn who were concerned about the proof of vaccination policy at thegirls' provincial volleyball championship, set to take place at Swift Current Comprehensive High School today and Saturday.

But Swift Current Comprehensive High School is currently on COVID-19 outbreak status. It has had multiple positive cases of COVID-19 with transmission in the school.

Because of that, the local medical health officer has implemented the requirement for proof of vaccination or negative testing for all extracurricular participation until the outbreak is declared over.

In a statement, the Chinook School Division says it is followingthe health officer's orders.

The division says it doesn't usually require students participating in extracurricular activities to be vaccinated, but is now because of the added measures implemented bythe Saskatchewan Health Authority during this outbreak.

"Teams and school divisions are asked to ensure their players and coaches adhere to the public health order and guidelines," the division said in thestatement.

Once the outbreak status has been lifted, proof of vaccination will not be required for extracurricular activities, the school division said.