SASKATOON -- The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) is calling on the provincial government to take further actions to limit the spread of COVID-19 in schools and in the community.
It is asking for masks to be made mandatory across the province, extracurricular activities to be suspended until case counts are significantly lower, school boards to restrict community-based activities in schools, and limit the number of schools each staff member can attend, the STF said in a release issued Thursday afternoon.
The union said it stands behind the hundreds of Saskatchewan physicians who signed an open letter addressed to Premier Scott Moe, Health Minister Paul Merriman and Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab, urging for more action to be taken to lower cases in the province.
STF President Patrick Maze is stressing the need to reduce community spread and implement more restrictions in order to protect both students and teachers.
“Teachers are front-line workers and we need to protect them,” Maze said in the release.
“Teachers and all school staff are working hard to limit COVID-19 transmission within the school setting, often at a significant personal cost. We realize the importance of the economy, but without schools there is no economy.”
The union said as cases rise province-wide, “schools are mirroring those increases,” adding that it is estimated that actual cases are four to six times higher than what is being reported.
Maze said school staff are doing their best to limit COVID-19 transmission in schools, but that outside activities in the community are making it hard.
“More action is required if we want to ensure our schools can remain open and that our healthcare system isn’t overwhelmed.”
