Teachers union head wants to keep mandatory masks in schools in Phase 5

‘We are not likely to be at 75 per cent vaccinated in elementary schools any time soon,’ Paul Wozney says

HALIFAXtoday \ Meghan Groff

When students return to the classroom next month, they’ll be required to wear masks.

However, at a Monday briefing, it was announced that the safety measure will become voluntary once the province enters Phase 5 of its reopening plan.

The president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union thinks that’s a risky move, seeing as COVID-19 vaccines have not yet been approved for children under the age of 12.

“They’re the single largest unvaccinated population in the province, and leaving them in classrooms without masking and other protections, we have concerns about that,” Paul Wozney told NEWS 95.7 fill-in host Todd Veinotte.

In order to enter Phase 5, 75 per cent of the overall population will need to be fully vaccinated.

It had been hoped we could reach that target before the start of the school year, but now the province is aiming to achieve that goal by September 15.

However, Wozney points out “we are not likely to be at 75 per cent vaccinated in elementary schools any time soon.”

“We believe that anybody who can safely mask should be masking until vaccination rates in public schools hit that magic number of 75 per cent,” he stated.

When asked about the safety concern, Premier-designate Tim Houston said public health officials don’t believe mandatory masks are necessary in Phase 5.

“What Dr. [Robert] Strang has said to focus on, and it makes really good sense to me, is the overall vaccination rate,” Houston told Veinotte Tuesday morning. “So that’s 75 per cent double vaccinated, that’s a level that gives public health confidence.”

“We need to get back to some semblance of normal,” he added. “There will be some people who are hesitant for that, there will be others who are super excited about that and it can’t happen fast enough, but what we need is the right answer, and in the opinion of public health, the right answer is when we get to 75 per cent of the population double vaccinated, we can remove restrictions. I support them in that.”

At a Monday briefing, Strang said, even though masks won’t be required in most places in Phase 5, health officials will still recommend they be worn in indoor public areas.