Sixty-six new COVID-19 cases impacting 31 schools across N.B.
School districts in New Brunswick are dealing with an influx in COVID-19 cases. Over the weekend, 31 schools across the province had been affected by 66 new cases.
Some school communities, like Fredericton High School, were informed late Sunday evening that they would be moving to online learning – not enough time, says Teachers’ Association president Connie Keating.
“There is a myth out there that at the switch of a button, everyone is able to adapt to online and remote learning, and that just isn’t the case,” she said. “There needs to be kind of a line drawn in the sand. At what point can all those involved shut off their devices and actually get a good night’s sleep because currently, superintendents and administrators and teachers , they’re really feeling that they are on call 24-7."
A spokesperson for Anglophone West School District says the district has seen an increase in the number of cases, particularly on Fredericton’s north side – and that the majority of cases are in children under 12.
The district – one of the largest in the province – has had 31 schools affected by cases so far this school year. Last year, only 14 were impacted – over the entire year.
A temporary position has been created to manage the cases, called the “Director of COVID-19 Response.”
“When we are informed of a case by Public Health, the Director of Covid-19 Response works with the impacted school to identify all close contacts, whom their school officials then notify,” said spokesperson Jennifer Read. “After that, he and other district personnel deliver rapid tests to the school to ensure that families have immediate access to testing and to help mitigate the risk or spread. In some instances where schools have had multiple cases, we have provided all families with rapid test kits, regardless of whether their children were identified as close contacts.”
She says the district communicates with families as soon as they are informed of a case – and that sometimes means texts, calls and emails in the evening.
About 40 per cent of cases reported over the last three days are in people under 19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.