Waterloo region teachers' unions pushing for masking requirement in schools

Region of Waterloo Public Health officials are echoing the province’s “strong” recommendation on masking. But some local teachers' unions say the directive doesn’t go far enough.

At a news conference Monday, Ontario’s top doctor urged people to wear masks in public indoor settings, however Dr. Kieran Moore stopped short of making the face coverings mandatory.

Moore’s recommendation comes as some pediatric units in Ontario hospitals say they’ve been overwhelmed by an influx of sick patients in recent weeks.

“What we are facing is a triple threat requires our collective action, an action to protect the most vulnerable in court community, the very young, the very old and those with underlying medical issues,” Moore said.

YOUNG CHILDREN AT HIGHEST RISK

Moore said the “difficult and complex fall” that was predicted has materialized as the province grapples with what he described as “three major viral threats”: COVID-19, influenza, and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).

He’s most worried about children under the age of four – and those are the ones ending up in emergency rooms and being admitted to hospital as the health care system grapples with an earlier than usual start to flu and RSV season, Moore said.

To combat it, Moore is “strongly recommending” people wear masks in indoor public settings.

He’s also suggesting if there’s a young child in the home, anyone else who lives there and is feeling sick should wear a mask and keep their distance if at all able.

Asked why he’s not mandating masking, Moore said it’s not possible to enforce a mandate in the settings he’s most concerned about – and that’s why he put forward Monday’s recommendation.

“This is a new call to protect the most vulnerable around us,” Moore said. “A mask in a mall will help diminish the community spread of these viruses, but we need to mask around those most vulnerable in social settings, which mandates haven't worked for in the past, at family gatherings, at family social settings, we have to mask.”

UNION WANTS MANDATORY MASKING

Moore was further asked why he’s not mandating masking for places where young children spend a lot of time, like in schools or child-care centres. He said he’s exploring where that’s needed and monitoring daily trends.

The president of the local Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) said they would have liked to see more decisive action Monday.

“The number of absences that we're seeing right now is astronomical, and we don't have enough teachers to cover those absences,” said Patrick Etmanski, president of OECTA Waterloo Region.

Etmanski said the province should make masking mandatory, calling the current recommendation not good enough.

“I think if we're going to put a plea out there to the public 'please wear your mask' – that's what the premier is saying – he's the boss, he gets to make the decisions, and he's chosen not to.”

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) said it will leave the decision making to health experts, but believes masking is an important measure.

“I'd certainly rather see a mask mandate than school closures. Nobody wants to see school closures. So if a masking mandate comes in, I think that's probably the lesser of two evils,” said OSSTF Waterloo Region president Rob Gascho.

Late Monday afternoon, Waterloo Region District School Board announced it would soon have masks available to students and staff who wish to wear them. 

LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS WEIGH IN

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, medical officer of health for the Region of Waterloo, said she supports the province’s decision to “strongly recommend” people wear masks, adding that it’s one of several layers of protection that are needed.

“Masking is an important measure, but we have to follow all of the measures…We have to have good hand hygiene, stay home if ill, make sure we mask up if we start to have symptoms and have to go out in the public setting,” Wang said.

Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin Guelph said people shouldn’t wait for an order to start masking.

“A mask is a very simple thing that I also am asking people to do… please wear a mask - put it on now. Start wearing it in all indoor settings, when you're out doing you're shopping, when you're watching a hockey game, wear a mask for our kids,” Mercer said.

FLU SEASON TO PEAK SOON

Flu season is expected to peak at the beginning of December, and Dr. Moore said he’s especially worried about the spread of respiratory viruses during this particularly social time of year.

He said in addition to wearing masks, people need to get back to the basics, staying home if sick and maintaining good hand hygiene, as well as cleaning high touch surfaces.

He’s also urging people to get their COVID-19 bivalent boosters and flu shots, adding that right now, there’s no vaccine for RSV.