Canadians Get Hit With Second Wave

In recent news, despite Canada’s harmful second wave of covid, they continue to keep schools open. For weeks now Canada's public health agency has reported that, on average, about 75,000 Canadians are being tested daily. That means Canada is testing at about half the rate, per capital, than the US.

Public health experts say Canada must be more aggressive with testing in order to bring down community transmission and detect asymptomatic spread. It is important for people in Canada being hit by this second wave to remain hopeful, in that hopefully they will be vaccinated soon. Despite Canada’s rise in covid cases, they still hold school as important and mandatory. 

Parents are grateful for this, because education  is so important. The towns remain nearly empty but the school buses are continuing to pick up students and remain on the streets in Canada. While nothing about this pandemic is normal, keeping the schools open allow students to experience a little glimpse of normalcy. Senior Allison Brown stated, “As long as schools follow set protocols being in person, even full time, should work.”

This Toronto suburb has been shut down for weeks and eerily quiet, but the school buses continued to pick up their kids starting last Friday. During this second wave of Covid, Canada has managed to keep most schools open and that is something to be grateful for. Senior Maya Salzman stated, “It is so important to be able to go into school because we do not learn the same from home.”

The quality of education at home is so different from actually being in the school. Senior Lizzie Kennedy stated, “The whole social life that comes with school is immediately eliminated with online schooling.” This is an extremely difficult time for younger kids to have a social life and that will impact their development in social skills. Canada remains firm in their decision that schools will be the last to close.