Its failure to mandate smaller class sizes or a minimum distance between students is conspicuous. But schools can try to make the best of their own situations
The plan certainly could and should be more ambitious; its failure to mandate smaller class sizes or a minimum distance between students is conspicuous, in light of notably successful reopenings in Denmark and Norway — and in light of a report from doctors at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, which the government cites, that stressed the need for distancing. But there’s nothing in the plan that says schools can’t try to make the best of their individual situations.
There isn’t time to dawdle but nor is it too late: Labour Day is still five weeks away. Mild concern is appropriate. Fury and panic are not. We also need to remember that children themselves are not the human beings most at risk, either now or in September. All the evidence we have suggests otherwise healthy children are unlikely to suffer severe symptoms if they acquire COVID-19. We know for a fact they are vanishingly unlikely to die: Just one Canadian under 20 has succumbed to it. Symptom-wise, COVID-19 is clearly a nastier beast than the average flu bug, but the average flu bug kills an average of 21 Canadians under 20 a year.
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