Edmonton Public reported a total absence rate of 10.04 per cent, or 11,341 students, surpassing the previous pandemic record on Jan. 21 of 9.92 per cent. These statistics include all diseases, not just COVID-19 or other respiratory infections. Belgravia and Avonmore elementary schools had some of the highest absenteeism rates at 27 and 22 percent, respectively, according to district data. The pediatrician Dr. Tehseen Ladha says the usual peak for respiratory viruses in children is in January or February and lasts a few weeks. “It tends not to be as severe,” said Ladha, who is also an assistant professor at the University of Alberta. “This year, this (has been happening) since September,” he added. “We see children sick from the start of school over and over again and quite seriously ill.” “I’ve been practicing for 10 years, and in that decade, I’ve never seen viruses hit kids with such frequency so early in the year.” Having more children sick — with COVID-19, the flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — at the same time hospitals continue to face staff shortages, COVID-19 patients and a flurry of pandemic procedures is troubling for Ladha. “How are we going to be able to deal with all these kids in the ER and how are we going to admit them?” asked.
“EXCESSIVE FOR WHAT IS THE RULE”
Many parents worry about their children getting sick every few weeks and how this can affect the rest of their families, even the time their carers have to take from work, says Wing Li, our Student Support representative. Any support that existed for parents taking sick leave or time away from work to care for their children during the pandemic has since ended, Lee added. “It’s gone because people think we’re back to regular programming, and that’s not the case,” he said. “We’re adapting as best we can, but we need public health and Alberta Health Services to tell us what’s going on.” Lee has heard that parents want the province to provide more funding to classrooms to help teachers and teaching assistants bring students back as they continue to miss class. “Students who have one illness after another are piling up,” he said. “It seems excessive for what is the norm.” “Students who are not healthy do not learn,” Lee added. Dr Ladha said the province should consider implementing short-term cover-up orders until respiratory illnesses peak for the season and help schools upgrade air filtration systems. “This is really a public health issue,” Ladha added. “We’re looking at the entire pediatric population that’s affected by these serious, common viruses, whether it’s influenza, RSV, COVID. “There are things we can do to prevent it from getting worse, and right now, none of them are being done.”
DISTRICT HAS DECIDED TO END SCHOOL MASKS ORDERS
The province is seeing an “early spike” in seasonal infections, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV, acknowledged Steve Buick, press secretary to Health Minister Jason Copping. “The increases in non-COVID viruses are not surprising given the low levels over the past two years,” Buick said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton. “Levels will vary over time and between communities. We encourage Albertans to judge risk at all times and take appropriate precautions, including wearing a mask if they choose.” He said high levels of vaccination coverage and “wider access to effective treatments” are helping Albertans manage respiratory infections. “The province is closely monitoring the situation in the schools,” Buick added. “We made the decision to end school mask mandates in February, based on evidence that schools were not a significant factor in overall transmission or impact in our communities. “Evidence since then supports the decision: removing mandatory coverage in schools made no difference to overall transmission and hospital admissions, which were falling at the time and continued to fall for several weeks after the change.”
WHAT ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DOING TO ADDRESS?
CTV News Edmonton reached out to Edmonton-area school authorities to see what they’re proposing as truancy rates rise. All schools report absenteeism rates to AHS, and if someone reports more than 10 percent absences due to illness, the provincial health authority declares an outbreak and sends letters and information sources to parents. As of Friday, 65 schools in the Edmonton zone are on lockdown, up from 22 the week before. Edmonton Public School Board Edmonton Public continued to recommend that parents report when their child is absent and keep sick children home. “We all continue to play a role in keeping each other safe and healthy,” EPSB said in a statement. A decision to discontinue an activity or move an event online can be made at the school level, district officials said. Edmonton Catholic School District All schools under lockdown have been instructed to hold Remembrance Day ceremonies and other large assemblies virtually, a department official told CTV News Edmonton. If a school is in an outbreak situation, department staff and facilities services support it “with outbreak management based on their unique circumstances.” St. John’s Public Schools Albert The district says all schools have masks for use by staff and students. The department is exploring changes to minimize activities involving students from different grades and possibly rescheduling some elementary interscholastic games. “Most of our schools will have virtual Remembrance Day ceremonies,” a spokesperson said. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Saif Kaiser and Kyra Markov
