An employee of Saskatoon-based Benchmark Personal Protective Equipment, which will deliver 18,000 face shields and 4 million disposable masks to schools, is seen in a promotional video. (thinksask.ca)

By Glenn Hicks

covid-19

P.A. schools set to re-open Monday as more face shields come onstream

Jan 12, 2021 | 4:48 PM

Schools in Prince Albert are set to resume in-class learning from Monday after the precautionary extended break taken before and after the Christmas holidays.

And while there are no plans to change the extensive protocols and measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID, there may be some specific training and guidelines coming from the Saskatchewan Health Authority regarding face shields and eye protection that will be good news for teachers and staff.

Face shield protocols

Director of Education for the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division (SRPSD), Robert Bratvold, says it’s hoped formal provincial direction will mean if staff wear a face mask and shield/eye protection, they may no longer be designated a ‘close contact’ of a student who tests positive for COVID-19. That means they would not need to self-isolate for 14 days.

“I think it will be useful and reassuring when there’s a training and equipment standard,” Bratvold told paNOW. “If you wear this kind of mask and eye protection, and you’ve been trained and follow the protocol then… this will certainly go a long way towards prevention of that [close contact] designation.”

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Currently face shields are used as requested by staff and mainly in certain learning environments, but with additional face shields coming onstream Bratvold said they will be made more widely available. He does not anticipate mandatory use of face shields for students.

Big local purchase of PPE

This week the Government of Saskatchewan announced it purchased 18,000 face shields and 4 million disposable masks from the Saskatoon-based company Benchmark Personal Protective Equipment.

The government said each school-based staff member will have access to a face shield and they were being shipped directly to Saskatchewan’s 27 school divisions and 26 independent schools this week.

The new order of face shields is in addition to the 28,000 face shields that were provided to schools in the fall through a Canadian company based in Ontario.

Mixed feelings

Meanwhile, Bratvold figured there would be mixed feelings from families regarding Monday’s planned return to in-class learning, as there was when they announced the early in December. He said some were concerned around the educational experience their children might have while away from school, and others were thankful it was a precautionary measure and understood the need for that.

“I think that mix of [feelings] persists. Many, many families fully anticipate the return to school with positivity, while others are a little bit more concerned. But, I think there’s near universal understanding of the lots of mechanisms in schools that help to keep the children safe and prevent transmission of the virus,” he said.

A spokesperson from the P.A. Catholic School Division was not immediately available for comment.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow