PROVINCE PLANS FOR ‘NORMAL AS POSSIBLE’ RETURN TO SCHOOL

Saskatchewan is planning to bring students back to classrooms under conditions “as close to normal as possible” and isn’t saying much about mask use. The province has released a plan providing guidance to its 27 school divisions on how to they can safely resume classes in September. The Ministry of Education says there are different scenarios that could come into effect based on advice from the province’s chief medical health officer. It says the scenario being planned has classrooms functioning much like they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, with additional precautions. Schools are to have dedicated quarantine areas where symptomatic students can go before they are picked up by parents and recesses, lunch breaks and classes are to be staggered. There will also be increased cleaning. “Measures are to be implemented to reduce risk of transmission in the classroom,” a government news release said. Saskatchewan reported 253 active cases of COVID-19, with nine new ones on Tuesday.