Should children return to the classroom during an Omicron surge? How can we make it safe?

As several provinces continue to see COVID-19 cases surge, students in Alberta and British Columbia will return to the classroom on Monday. Saskatchewan resumed in class learning this week, while most other provinces delayed their back to school date to Jan. 17. 

Our question this week: Should children return to the classroom during an Omicron surge? How can we make it safe?

Dr. Anna Banerji, pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Jeffrey Pernica, head of the division of infectious disease in the department of pediatrics at McMaster University and McMaster Children's Hospital, weigh in on the safety of returning to classrooms. 

Plus, in the second hour: So you've got Omicron symptoms. Now what? Callers share their experiences with COVID-19 with Dr. Zain Chagla, an infectious diseases physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton.

As several provinces continue to report record high COVID cases, kids&nbsp;in Alberta and British Columbia will return to the classroom on Monday. Saskatchewan resumed in class learning this week, while most other provinces delayed their back to school date to Jan.&nbsp;17.&nbsp;

Provinces, parents, and teachers' unions&nbsp;are also considering different safety measures such as HEPA filters in classrooms, free rapid tests, N95 masks and priority vaccination for teachers.&nbsp;

Our question this week:&nbsp;Should children return to the classroom during an Omicron surge? How can we make it safe?

Tell us what you think: Call us on Sunday at 1-888-416-8333, 

B.C. secondary school students in B.C. will be required to complete Indigenous-focused coursework before graduation. 

Should children return to the classroom during an Omicron surge?

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