Minister says COVID measures in schools ‘not going to happen’

Saskatchewan’s teachers’ union wants COVID-19 precautions reinstated in schools after a big jump in COVID was found in some cities’ wastewater, but the education minister isn’t going to bite.

In a news release Tuesday, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation president Patrick Maze called the latest wastewater report alarming.

Maze and the union are calling for things like a return to mandatory masking in schools, isolation requirements for people who are sick, and the addition of teachers to the list of those eligible to get a PCR COVID test.

Education Minister Dustin Duncan had a simple answer when asked about the call for measures: “That’s not going to happen.”

Duncan told Gormley on Wednesday that schools are already masking-friendly.

“If students and teachers want to continue to wear their masks, absolutely, that’s their right to do that,” said Duncan.

The minister also said the province encourages people to do things like get vaccinated and stay home if they’re sick.

But Duncan also talked about this being the third school year dealing with COVID and said it has been very hard on students.

“We’ve had students that have not had a normal high school experience and we know that this has had a big impact on mental health,” said Duncan.

“We’re hearing great stories of kids being back in the schools, in normal experiences, extracurricular, getting back into school tours and those sorts of things. Just a regular part of school activities.”

Duncan said his government doesn’t feel things like isolation requirements and mandatory masking are necessary.