Discussions

Will children still have to wear masks to school starting Tuesday?

Might be best to call your school office, but according to province no masks at school or daycare's will be mandated as of March 15: but schools may use there own discretion.  
Link to local article  
https://www.discoverwestman.com/articles/masks-in-schools-and-childcare-centres-will-be-gone-march-15

Schools should not be able to use there own discretion. It’s either required or it’s not. Period.

I ended up calling crocus and they will be keeping the masks!

To me anyways. We know masks are preventative. We know Covid still exists. Kids bring home more germs than we catch elsewhere. The kids are used to them. Mind don’t mind them. And they can have them off for sports. No other restrictions , this works, I hope our school keeps masks in place. Also hoping this would better allow us to visit our elderly family.

I beleive neelin is same.. they will be keeping it.  
 
I dont see schools without masks indoors.

Well glad to hear these schools so far are having masks stay on! I’m assuming all schools within BSD will be then, glad to see educated people making the right choice. Seems like the government doesn’t understand science at least our schools understand this will keep our kids and community safe by a very simple precaution MASKS!

If masks are not mandated by "law" then the school board, paid for by taxpayers can not make up their own laws! Myself I will keep a mask with me for awkward, mask loving places. But our children are not at risk: why run their memories? Sheesh! Enough people!

Many doctors continue to strongly recommend mask wearing in enclosed environments . With that advice I rather think that a school or any other organization or business are quite within their rights to require face masks to be worn on their premises.  
People will have to respect the wishes of these organizations and comply.  
 
Edited by Farmergeorge, 2022-03-09 22:33:14

If you want to use that argument, then the same school board you speak of is also paid for by people who want to keep their children and the community safe until the threat has passed.  
 
You may want to prepare yourself for the fact that some businesses will still require masks and many people are planning to continue the use of them until the numbers, not the politicians, make the decision that it is safe to remove them.

eBrandonAds, also note that even tho masks may not be required by law, you will still be required to change into a medical mask when you present to a hospital or other RHA facility. Health care is 'paid for by taxpayers', and can indeed have rules that must be followed in facilities.

that you do not have the legal right to enter any premises, it is up to the owner/business/facility to set the rules of entry. You still have freedom of choice, either comply or go away. It really is quite simple.

Not sure about the larger number, but the Souris Medical clinic will continue to require masks.

I am wondering why you are saying children are not at risk? I am pretty sure lots of kids have had covid. My son has it right now so how are the kids not at risk? Everyone is at risk. I will always carry a mask in my car and will have no issues using it if required but if I go into someplace and I do not need to have one and I forget it in the car I will not make that trip back to my vehicle to get it. Everyone has different opinions and mine is life needs to move on. Covid is not going away and everyone will get it sooner or later.

BSD has not made their final decision regarding masks yet.

With mask mandates gone people need to look at private vs public areas. Public meaning government/ city owned and operated vs privately owned like stores. Stores can make their own rules but if you want to use a publicly ran facility you should be able to make your own decisions except in medical facilities as these places have already had mandates in place for PPE use.

It’s not up to each individual school. BSD has yet to make a final decision, so stop assuming. The final decision on masks will be released after the board meeting on March 14  
 
Edited by 2022, 2022-03-11 15:14:44

Not sure why they’d tell you that (at Crocus) when the decision hasn’t even been made yet. Weird.

I was at the grocery store yesterday and so many without masks. I get it’s just a few more days for the restriction to be lifted but come on - it’s just a few more days. Why can’t people just wear them until Tuesday.

Depends on the division. Park West had said that in their schools masks will not be required by children.

Starting tomorrow, masks will no longer be required for students in Brandon school division  
 
Edited by 2022, 2022-03-14 21:37:42

If you read the whole letter it states that masks will still be recommended for staff and students while indoors. They will also maintain classroom configurations, no assemblies, etc.  
 
It is completely ridiculous that the province is completely lifting every single restriction all at once for the schools now. I’m happy to see that BSD is keeping some of the measures.

It clearly states that assemblies are up to the discretion of each individual school, and that Cohorts are to be removed. Not sure What letter you were reading, but it clearly states this in the letter which was Posted in this discussion. Exactly which measures are you happy that the BSD is keeping? Looks to me it’s fairly clear that they’ve all been removed  
 
Edited by 2022, 2022-03-14 21:52:44

Keep reading onto page 2 of that letter.

It clearly states on page 1 that assemblies are at the discretion of the school. It also states that cohorts are removed. I’m just happy that kids can go back to being kids, and I don’t think it’s “ridiculous” at all. And yes, I’m well aware that you disagree!!  
 
Edited by 2022, 2022-03-14 22:03:44

I’m not sure why you need this spelled out to you. The first page lists the provincial guidance. If you continue reading, the second page outlines the choices that the Brandon school division has made. BSD will not be holding assemblies, cohorts will be removed, but class configurations will remain, and masks are still recommended indoors, and they will continue with regular cleaning of high touch surfaces.

I'm not sure what you're arguing. Essentially every restriction has been removed.  
 
Masks being recommended does not mean they are required. Clearly, as indicated on page 1 AND page 2, they are not required. Basically everything is removed, but if you want to wear a mask you can.  
 
If you're arguing that keeping class configurations and cleaning of high-touch surfaces means they have kept some restrictions....sure...but neither of those is really a restriction of any sort. I suppose the only actual restriction is on assemblies.  
 
Edited by JosephC, 2022-03-15 06:46:21

Two weeks after the last of the covid restrictions were removed in the UK, Covid positive case numbers and covid related hospitalizations are on the rise. Other European countries are seeing case numbers rise and China is introducing a swath of fresh lockdowns and restrictions as covid cases rise .  
See the news. This is far from over.  
 
Edited by Farmergeorge, 2022-03-15 07:20:55

Exactly. When I listen to what healthcare professionals have said to me directly, I will gladly keep my mask on for a while longer.  
This is awful timing. We are only three months from the end of the school year. The kids have been able to basically participate in everything this year finally, just having to wear masks, and in some cases be vaccinated. I would hate to see all of this ruined because a bunch of whiney babies can’t put a piece of cloth on their face. People are out there throwing temper tantrums about freedoms that have never been taken away from us.  
Take a hint people, healthcare facilities are all keeping mandatory masks. They would be the first to not do that if it wasn’t necessary.  
 
Edited by Jellybean, 2022-03-15 07:26:28

Everyone is tired and stressed to the max. Hopefully we will never see another mandate again and hospitals will function at their max capacity without being over run by people infected with covid.  
 
Unfortunately this relaxation of mandates has people thinking they are done with masks/hand sanitizing and restrictions. When in reality we may have another covid wave. I hope people take one message away from this experience and that is the importance of washing hands and staying home when sick.