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August 11, 2021 – Provincial government update on COVID-19
Here is a further update on recent decisions and actions by the Québec government in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Back to school without class bubbles
Education Minister Jean-François Roberge and Junior Education Minister Isabelle Charest have outlined the back-to-school plan for Québec primary and secondary students.
Students will return to classes this fall without the need to maintain bubbles all day long, which means that optional courses at secondary schools, along with sport-study and art-study programs plus all extracurricular activities, can all resume.
Wearing of procedural masks will remain compulsory on transportation vehicles and in common areas of schools, like corridors. Makes will not be required in class, outside, or in daycare settings.
Teachers will not need to be masked in classrooms as long as they follow the two-metre rule.
“The reason we can have a plan like this is the success of the vaccine effort,” Roberge said. “But our work is not over. There are still a lot of second doses to administer. So please get your shot,” he added.
As of today, 83% of Québecers aged 12 to 17 have received their first dose, 47% are fully vaccinated and 30% have an appointment for a shot. The in-school vaccination campaign will also resume when students return to class.
These measures are subject to adjustment depending on how the health situation changes and on vaccine coverage.
Extracurricular activities are a go
All students in primary schools will be allowed to take part in extracurricular activities.
At the secondary level, the vaccine passport will be required to engage in certain extracurricular activities deemed to be high-risk. More details will be announced in the days to come.
“We’ve done everything we can to ensure that school sports look as much as possible like they did before the pandemic,” Charest said.
The government also announced that all secondary schools will be equipped to offer every student one hour of free extracurricular activity per day.
Air quality measures coming
CO (carbon monoxide) detectors will be installed in all Québec classrooms by year’s end, enabling monitoring of air quality and reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.