A B.C. mother is frustrated that elementary school students havensa国际传媒檛 been mandated sa国际传媒� or at least strongly encouraged sa国际传媒� to wear masks to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ashley, who asked that her last name not be used, is taking two weeks off from her job in the health care system because her son is required to self-isolate after an exposure at his Cowichan Valley school last week. Being away from work isnsa国际传媒檛 her main worry, but she feels bad missing time during a health emergency

sa国际传媒淭here is a big need for health care workers at this time,sa国际传媒� she pointed out. sa国际传媒淎nd now Isa国际传媒檓 having to lose time from my job.sa国际传媒�

She sends her own son to school wearing a mask, and wishes that more parents would do the same if the provincial government wonsa国际传媒檛 make it mandatory. She said she has talked to parents at other schools who feel the same way.

sa国际传媒淧revention is what wesa国际传媒檙e taught in healthcare,sa国际传媒� Ashley pointed out. sa国际传媒淒o we want to wait until we end up like Fraser Health?sa国际传媒�

Fraser Health has seen the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the province.

Middle and secondary school students are currently required by the provincial government to wear masks when not at their desks, but that does not apply in elementary schools.

sa国际传媒淲e do encourage a culture of mask wearing in all our schools and support families in any decision they wish to make around mask wearing,sa国际传媒� explained Mike Russell, spokesperson for the Cowichan Valley School District. sa国际传媒淢asks are one added layer of protection that supplement other proven measures like hand washing and physical distancing.sa国际传媒�

Russell added that neither the school district nor individual schools can add to or override the provincial guidelines. Children under the age of 12 are not provincially mandated to wear masks.

Ashley, who has been urging people to contact the offices of Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry about mandating masks for younger students, feels kids are getting mixed messages about mask-wearing.

sa国际传媒淲hen a child goes to the store, they have to wear a mask, but when theysa国际传媒檙e going to school they donsa国际传媒檛 have to wear one?sa国际传媒� she questioned. sa国际传媒淚 understand they are following a protocol, but we all know what the right thing is to do.sa国际传媒�

There is a lack of understanding, Ashley said, about why people are asked to wear masks, and some people have been led to believe that children cansa国际传媒檛 get sick from COVID-19, which is not true.

sa国际传媒淧eople donsa国际传媒檛 understand they can also be carriers,sa国际传媒� she added.

She is also concerned that people on Vancouver Island have been complacent because the region has been spared from the numbers experienced in the Lower Mainland and other parts of the province, and because there havensa国际传媒檛 been as many exposures in elementary schools.

sa国际传媒淚 hope people will take this seriously and change their ways,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淧revention is key. People should be doing everything possible to minimize this. I get that kids need to go to school, but we also need to keep the exposures down.sa国际传媒�

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