Back in the good old days, the beginning of a new school year would typically be heralded by police reminding parents to instruct their children in matters of stranger danger and road safety, as well as an encouragement for motorists to slow down, particularly in school zones.
This year, for the second year in a row, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be at the front-and-centre of parent and staff concerns as more than 74,000 students return to the district’s 129 schools.
At the spear’s point of this concern is the lack of a mask mandate for children in Kindergarten through to Grade 3 – the very group representing the unvaccinated population at schools.
READ ALSO: B.C. in COVID-19 ‘pandemic of unvaccinated,’ latest data show
It is, of course, completely understandable that so many people look to the new school year with trepidation as we collectively try to navigate our way through this pandemic, replete with conflicting and confusing words and actions from authorities, the rise of new strains such as the Delta variant which can break through the double vaccination barrier, and of course, people who refuse to take other people’s safety into consideration because for them, their own personal “rights” come first.
If you’re frustrated and confused, join the club. You’re pretty much in good standing with the rest of society, comprised of a species that has been proven, historically, to be possessed of the proclivity to repeat mistakes, and repeat them again.
It’s important, then, to not only be open to the advice science provides but to also pay heed to that little voice inside, namely, your own good counsel. If it tells you something is dangerous, best not brush it off but act accordingly to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
– Now-Leader
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