Mother of a 13-year-old girl, Anouk Charles says she is unable to make an informed decision on whether or not to withdraw her daughter from class.
Until recently, we received an email from management whenever there was a case of COVID-19 at school. But not anymore. It’s very opaque, let’s say.
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Anouk Charles, mother of a 13-year-old girl
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Guillaume Baillargeon believes that it is by design that this information is no longer disclosed. “It’s helpful in getting the pandemic out of the way and transmission in schools so the government can brag about doing better than in Ontario.” »
This ignorance regarding the number of cases is all the more unfortunate, believes Mr. Baillargeon, since rapid tests have arrived and they could allow, when there are many cases circulating in the school, to exercise the house a very particular vigilance so that the schools can remain open.
Several parents told The Press no longer be afraid at all. Come what may. This reflects what the CROP poll released last week indicated: 58% of respondents said they were little or not worried about personally catching COVID-19.
Parents at risk and worried
Impossible for Michèle Janick Sauvage to adopt this attitude. “I have serious health issues that put me at risk of developing severe symptoms of COVID-19,” she said, indicating that she had no choice but to keep her two teenage children at home, without them can receive virtual instruction.
“Why this year has the government not put in place measures to protect parents who have health problems? By keeping schools open despite the extreme number of contaminations, [François] Legault gives me the impression that he is deliberately trying to infect the entire population as quickly as possible to achieve collective immunity. »
She points out that a member of staff at her son’s school told her that it was not a big deal if her son caught COVID-19: “He will blow his nose for a few hours and he will be cured the next day. I told her that if my son brought COVID-19 home, I might die. He told me it was my responsibility to protect myself from the virus, not my son’s.
Mélanie Vermette is just as worried. She says that every morning with fear in her stomach she sends her children to school, fearing they will eventually bring COVID-19 into the house, where their elderly grandmother also lives. “We are really walking on eggshells. Currently, there is a case in my daughter’s class. I can’t keep her at home because there is no distance learning if she stays at home. I don’t think my child is safe, but I can’t deprive her of going to school either. For my son, who is in high school at private school, I feel more reassured because they take a lot more protective measures. At noon, they eat only with their class group. »
60%, a “political” threshold
The Dr Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist and microbiologist at the McGill University Health Center (MUHC), says he has not seen any studies indicating that it is acceptable to wait until 60% of children in a class have COVID-19 before to close it.
For him, this threshold is purely “political”, “out of nowhere”.
At 60%, the fire is taken solid.
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The Dr Donald Vinh, infectious disease specialist and microbiologist at the MUHC
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In response to our request for an explanation of the criteria that led to this 60% threshold, Bryan St-Louis, responsible for communications at the Ministère de l’Éducation, replied that it “was established following the number of absent students beyond which distance learning seems necessary to us”.
Himself a parent, the Dr Vinh says that at the first occurrence, he would remove his children from the class, even though each received two doses.
He says he is in favor of school being done in person, provided it is safe, which in his opinion is not the case “in the absence of a serious plan” for infection control.
He also denounces the fact that too many pediatricians, who hold on to school at all costs, minimize the seriousness of the virus.
But what about the increasingly widespread idea that, after all, it’s better to catch Omicron, which is generally less dangerous, than to risk catching the next variant? The Dr Vinh replies that we have no idea if Omicron gives long-lasting immunity. Catching this one does not guarantee that we will be protected against a possible other variant.
The Dre Anne Gatignol, professor of microbiology, points out that as a virologist, she would normally plead for the closure of a class as soon as a case appears. But “after almost two years of pandemic with hatched returns to class and given the need for socialization and learning of young people, this is not tenable. On the other hand, it would be good for parents to have information” about absenteeism.
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Louise Leduc
The Press
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” Fingers crossed. »
Mother of eight children, Diane Groulx says she has no choice but to rely on luck.
“The school doesn’t tell us anything anymore. How do I know if an absent classmate has developed symptoms of COVID? »
Also, with a large family, you get lost, she notes. “When do we isolate ourselves? Who are we isolating? For how long ? »
Before the holidays, a class would switch to virtual teaching if two infections were reported in a class. Since January 17, this is only the case if 60% of students are in isolation. Until this threshold is reached, parents are not informed of the number of cases in the class or school.
All people “will not make decisions for the well-being of the community, advances Diane Groulx. Each family will take into account a large number of factors, for example, absenteeism at work”.
A call for testimonials launched by The Press reports on the daily life of families these days. The concern of some is as palpable as the resignation of others. “The question is no longer whether children will catch COVID, but when. At home, we are vaccinated to protect vulnerable people and avoid overcrowding hospitals, ”sums up Marie Eve Bouthillier.
After learning from her son that there were four cases of COVID-19 in her class, Edith Lemery Frenette played it safe and did a quick test as soon as she noticed that her nose was running a little. The result was positive. “If he had not informed me of the cases in his class, I would not have made a case of it, as his general condition was good on Wednesday. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAMILY
Edith Lemery Frenette (right) with her spouse, Maxime Bellemare, and her son Xavier
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Mother of a 13-year-old girl, Anouk Charles says she is unable to make an informed decision on whether or not to withdraw her daughter from class.
Until recently, we received an email from management whenever there was a case of COVID-19 at school. But not anymore. It’s very opaque, let’s say.
–
Anouk Charles, mother of a 13-year-old girl
–
Guillaume Baillargeon believes that it is by design that this information is no longer disclosed. “It’s helpful in getting the pandemic out of the way and transmission in schools so the government can brag about doing better than in Ontario.” »
This ignorance regarding the number of cases is all the more unfortunate, believes Mr. Baillargeon, since rapid tests have arrived and they could allow, when there are many cases circulating in the school, to exercise the house a very particular vigilance so that the schools can remain open.
Several parents told The Press no longer be afraid at all. Come what may. This reflects what the CROP poll released last week indicated: 58% of respondents said they were little or not worried about personally catching COVID-19.
Parents at risk and worried
Impossible for Michèle Janick Sauvage to adopt this attitude. “I have serious health issues that put me at risk of developing severe symptoms of COVID-19,” she said, indicating that she had no choice but to keep her two teenage children at home, without them can receive virtual instruction.
“Why this year has the government not put in place measures to protect parents who have health problems? By keeping schools open despite the extreme number of contaminations, [François] Legault gives me the impression that he is deliberately trying to infect the entire population as quickly as possible to achieve collective immunity. »
She points out that a member of staff at her son’s school told her that it was not a big deal if her son caught COVID-19: “He will blow his nose for a few hours and he will be cured the next day. I told her that if my son brought COVID-19 home, I might die. He told me it was my responsibility to protect myself from the virus, not my son’s.
Mélanie Vermette is just as worried. She says that every morning with fear in her stomach she sends her children to school, fearing they will eventually bring COVID-19 into the house, where their elderly grandmother also lives. “We are really walking on eggshells. Currently, there is a case in my daughter’s class. I can’t keep her at home because there is no distance learning if she stays at home. I don’t think my child is safe, but I can’t deprive her of going to school either. For my son, who is in high school at private school, I feel more reassured because they take a lot more protective measures. At noon, they eat only with their class group. »
60%, a “political” threshold
The Dr Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist and microbiologist at the McGill University Health Center (MUHC), says he has not seen any studies indicating that it is acceptable to wait until 60% of children in a class have COVID-19 before to close it.
For him, this threshold is purely “political”, “out of nowhere”.
At 60%, the fire is taken solid.
–
The Dr Donald Vinh, infectious disease specialist and microbiologist at the MUHC
–
In response to our request for an explanation of the criteria that led to this 60% threshold, Bryan St-Louis, responsible for communications at the Ministère de l’Éducation, replied that it “was established following the number of absent students beyond which distance learning seems necessary to us”.
Himself a parent, the Dr Vinh says that at the first occurrence, he would remove his children from the class, even though each received two doses.
He says he is in favor of school being done in person, provided it is safe, which in his opinion is not the case “in the absence of a serious plan” for infection control.
He also denounces the fact that too many pediatricians, who hold on to school at all costs, minimize the seriousness of the virus.
But what about the increasingly widespread idea that, after all, it’s better to catch Omicron, which is generally less dangerous, than to risk catching the next variant? The Dr Vinh replies that we have no idea if Omicron gives long-lasting immunity. Catching this one does not guarantee that we will be protected against a possible other variant.
The Dre Anne Gatignol, professor of microbiology, points out that as a virologist, she would normally plead for the closure of a class as soon as a case appears. But “after almost two years of pandemic with hatched returns to class and given the need for socialization and learning of young people, this is not tenable. On the other hand, it would be good for parents to have information” about absenteeism.
Learn more
Source: SOURCE: AMERICAN CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Source: SOURCE: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH OF QUEBEC
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