Some Montreal doctors urging Quebec to re-think its back-to-school plan and include mask mandate
Some Montreal doctors are urging the province to re-consider its back-to-school plan, saying masks should be part school uniforms again this fall.
With about a month until classes begin again, some of these doctors say it shouldn't be back to normal.
"If you accept that Delta is more infectious, then the next logical step is to say if anything we will need to have enhanced precautions," said infectious disease specialist Dr. Matthew Oughton. "That would require measures like masks, like distancing."
Quebec's plan was announced in June, and includes no restrictions aside from students being encouraged to continue washing their hands more often.
"We are pretty confident the plan will stand," said Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge on June 2. "If we thought the plan wouldn't stand we would have to change a lot of things. We wouldn't present that plan."
The minister's confidence comes with a huge caveat.
Roberge said the plan depends on having 75 per cent of Quebec's students fully vaccinated.
As of Tuesday, 73 per cent of 12-17-year-olds in the province have gotten their first dose, but only a quarter have had both.
There is currently no vaccine approved for those under 12.
Montreal public health also released data on Tuesday showing some 30,000 high schoolers have yet to get their first shot.
"We're 4 weeks from the beginning of school we have a window of opportunity to get people vaccinated, and to allow us to start the school year in a more normal fashion but it's not guaranteed that that will be the case," said David Kaiser, a physician with Montreal public health.
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Americans who are fully vaccinated continue wearing masks indoors because of the rise of variants and high infection rates in some states. That recommendation includes school children.
There are close to 250 confirmed Delta variant cases in Quebec, which is low compared to some provinces. However, it's important to note that turnaround time for genome sequencing can take anywhere between seven to 14 days for the results to be published on government sites and reports.
Low Delta numbers in Quebec in recent weeks could make a mask mandate a hard sell.
"The natural reaction is to say 'why are you doing this now? There is no problem,' but the whole goal is to avoid there being a problem," said Oughton.
The education ministry plans to update the back-to-school plan in early August.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.