COVID-19 school plans in N.S. could include masks, separating classes

COVID-19 measures for kids heading back to school could mean masks in the halls and keeping classes apart, says Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health.

The province has announced that its priority is a 100 per cent return for kids and teachers this fall, but the full plan for a back-to-school reopening is coming next week.

Dr. Robert Strang told CBC's Information Morning on Friday that various measures are under consideration for September.

"The evidence is … that younger children are not good transmitters of this virus, and schools are a good example of how we need to get back to normal as much as we can," he said.

"But that normal is not pre-COVID normal, it's a new normal that allows kids to be in school but with appropriate layers of safety."

The province is looking at how masks could play a role, although Strang acknowledged it's not realistic to have students wearing them all day at their desks. 

However, the older grades might be able to wear masks in the halls, he said, and it's likely they could be used on buses.

Keeping large groups apart is also something being considered, Strang said. Each classroom would become "its own cohort of kids and they don't interact with other classrooms."

There would also be increased handwashing measures. There could be limits on who can enter schools.

Strang said a key message for schools, as well as businesses and everyone else, is anyone not feeling well should stay home. Keeping those who have the virus at home in the early days is vital to limiting spread, he said.

Plan coming next week

Strang said Public Health will watch the virus at the community level to determine whether a partial or 100 per cent rollout of the school plan is in order.

He said to avoid a hard shutdown like the province had this spring, Public Health will take a targeted approach. It could be that there are stronger restrictions in one area — like schools —while other areas are more open.

Earlier this month, Education Minister Zach Churchill said the province was mulling three back-to-school options for the fall. The options were a full return to school, reducing attendance to 50 per cent and doing the other half remotely, or students working virtually from home.

Churchill said the details of the contingency plans will be released next Wednesday, but the 100 per cent return to school includes full curriculum and assessments.