Province anticipates new measures will allow classes to complete current school year

Saskatchewan health officials are anticipating the latest series of enhances COVID-19 regulations will provide the additional benefit of reducing COVID transmission in school.

Measures like pausing youth team sports, implementing a province wide indoor masking policy, and decreasing the number of people at indoor public events and at church services will also have a ripple effect on COVID totals in schools.

“At this time when we look at our cases in schools, most of them are single cases that are imported from the community - very few clusters or outbreaks. So based on that we are confident at this time we can complete the school year, go into a regular Christmas holiday period, and then resume at the appropriate time,” Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab stated during a press conference last Wednesday.

“And we also hope that the measures today, especially the pause for sports teams, will further reduce the importation into schools. So that will relieve the pressure.”

Dr. Shahab noted that they currently have discussions with the Ministry of Education and school divisions on a weekly basis to keep on top of changing COVID transmission totals. And while school activities have not been the major source of transmission, sports activities have driven the bulk of recent school COVID cases.

“It is very evident that they happen in all settings, but certainly recreational facilities and sports activities do stand out quite significantly. The challenge there of course is that if you have two or three teams playing, and the children then present those cases in schools, so many schools can get impacted. So right now that was the primary source of importation into schools through sports activities, hence the pause there,” Dr. Shahab noted.

He also pointed to measures taken at some of Saskatchewan’s larger high schools to adopt a hybrid school day has also relieved the pressure in some of the those settings..

“With the measures announced today, we hope that the number of times a school has a case will stabilize and go down. That should allow schools to complete the fall term as per routine and go into winter holidays.”

Dr. Shahab extended his appreciation for the education sector for their efforts during the pandemic.

“It has been an unusual time, a challenging time, but I think so far schools have done extremely well and the credit really goes to the teachers, the staff in the schools, the parents and the children themselves who have been following the protocols - wearing a mask where required, not going to school while sick.”

“So far school reopening has been very successful, but again like all sectors we continue to watch very closely and support them if any change in guidance would be required.”

The Chinook School Division has reported a series of positive COVID19 cases over the past weeks, which have resulted in students switching to remote learning.

November 30 release:

Chinook announced positive COVID-19 cases were identified in three individuals at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School, three individuals at École Centennial, two individuals at O.M. Irwin School, two individuals at Ponteix School, and six individuals at Success School. As an extra precaution and to support the efforts of Public Health, students in the affected classes at SCCHS, École Centennial and O.M. Irwin will move to remote learning. All classes at Ponteix and Success schools are currently participating in remote learning due to earlier cases. The remote learning period will be extended for Ponteix School.

November 28 release: Chinook reported positive COVID-19 cases for one individual at Success School and one individual at Shaunavon Public School. All students at Success School are currently participating in Remote Learning due to an earlier case. Students in the effect class at Shaunavon Public School moved to remote learning, while other students are not impacted and they continue to attend class.

November 26 release: Chinook reported positive COVID-19 cases for two individuals at Ponteix School and one individual at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School. All Kindergarten to Grade 12 students at Ponteix School have been moved to remote learning. Students in the affected classes at SCCHS moved to remote learning.

November 25 release: Chinook reported positive COVID-19 cases in one individual at École Centennial School and two individuals at Fairview School. Kindergarten to Grade 5 students at Fairview School moved to remote learning. Students in the effected class at École Centennial have also moved to remote learning.

November 23 release: Chinook reported one positive COVID-19 case for an individual at Success School. All classes at Success School were moved to remote learning.

November 20 release: Chinook reported one positive COVID-19 for an individual at École Centennial School and two individuals at Leader Composite School. All students at Leader Composite School were participating in remote learning due to an earlier case. Students in the affected class at École Centennial moved to remote learning.

November 20 release: Chinook reported one individual at SCCHS was identified as a positive COVID-19 case. Students in the affected groups moved to remote learning.

November 16 release: Chinook reported a positive COVID-19 case in an individual at École Centennial School. The SHA conducted contact tracing and determined no additional precaution were necessary and classes were not impacted.

November 12 release: Chinook reported one individual at Leader Composite School had a positive COVID-19 result. All classes at the school were moved to remote learning for a two week time period. The school was closed as a precautionary measure