The BC Liberals will review the NDP’s back to school pandemic plan if they form a government after the Oct. 24 election, Langley candidate Mary Polak announced Friday.
Polak noted there have been 166 school exposure events so far since classes returned in September around B.C.
One of the most recent, announced by the Langley School District on Friday, was at Douglas Park Community School. The district said someone who was in the school Oct. 8 and 9 tested positive for COVID-19 and contact tracing was underway.
Polak criticized the NDP for holding a snap election, which she said makes it harder for the government to respond to these issues.
READ MORE: Langley car dealership and second elementary school report COVID-19 exposures
“As a result of this pandemic election, this government is in caretaker mode,” Polak said. She said MLAs should be in the legislature.
The proposed Liberal review is not going to second guess the guidelines created by Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s chief medical health officer, Polak said.
A review would likely look at operational planning and inconsistency between the school districts, she said.
Issues around transparency and communication would also be looked at, as well as safety impacts on staff.
Polak’s NDP opponent Andrew Mercier said the government has been following Dr. Henry’s advice.
Folks don’t call politicians when they get sick, they call doctors,” Mercier said. “That is what our government has done.”
He said governments shouldn’t get “trapped” in the idea they can do a better job than health professionals.
