(Ben Nelms/CBC)

Jacquie Miller

The two million Ontario students who have been in lockdown at home because of COVID-19 should return to school in the fall with no strict physical distancing or requirement to wear a mask, says a report from experts at SickKids hospital in Toronto.

The risks of the virus must be balanced against the harm to children posed by school closures and rules that prevent them from getting close to each other, say the recommendations in the school reopening report issued Wednesday.

The recommendations will be a key piece of advice for Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce. He promised a back-to-school plan by the end of June.

Lecce has said he will rely on advice from public health authorities and SickKids when deciding how schools should operate.

Elementary and secondary students have been learning at home, mainly online, since schools closed in mid-March because of the pandemic.

The SickKids report emphasizes that the risks of COVID-19 to children “appear to be minimal.”

There is evidence children may be less likely to get the illness or transmit it to others, says the report. In Canada, only 6.9 per cent of reported COVID-19 cases have been in those age 19 and under.  Most children who become infected either have no symptoms or mild ones, it says.

In contrast, school closures and lockdowns during the pandemic have an adverse affect on the health and welfare of children, it warns. Experts predict increased rates of depression, trauma, drug abuse and even suicide and concerns about family discord, exposure to domestic violence, child abuse and neglect.

The report says daily school is important. But strict physical distancing between students is both impractical and will cause ” significant psychological harm,” it says.

“Close interaction, such as playing and socializing, is central to child development and should not be discouraged.”

However, the report says teachers and other employees should keep their distance from students.

It paints a picture of a return to schools that are not drastically different. There would be some changes to mitigate the risk posed by the virus, such as staggered lunch times, a ban on large gatherings at school, intensive cleaning and handwashing and efforts to ensure students and employees who are sick stay home.

But none of the recommendations would require significant alterations to either physical spaces or routines in Ontario schools.

That’s in contrast to measures adopted in some jurisdictions around the world that began reopening schools this spring. In many countries — although not in Canada — students and teachers are required to wear masks.

Many schools, including those in Quebec that opened in May, have smaller classes and extensive rules on physical distancing, with desks spaced apart, circles and lines painted on playgrounds and in hallways to help keep students apart and team sports are banned.

The SickKids report does not reject all physical distancing, but recommends less stringent rules.

For instance, the report says that smaller classes, “If feasible,” may aid in physical distancing, but “the daily school schedule should not be disrupted” in order to create them.

“In the classroom, to the extent possible, efforts should be made to arrange the classroom furniture to leave as much space as possible between students.”

The report downplays the idea that children should remain with the same classmates and avoid mixing with other groups. Such “cohorting” may be considered for younger children or those with medical or behaviour problems, says the report, but “should not be done in a manner that compromises daily school attendance or alters the curriculum options available to children.”

Children should be allowed to play outside freely at recess, it recommends. Sports and phys ed classes should be encouraged with no distancing. However, sports with close physical contact like rugby, football and wrestling should be postponed or modified and sports equipment cleaned, it recommends.

And while large gatherings should be prohibited, “schools should endeavour to offer as many of their usual clubs and activities as possible.”

Several Canadian provinces, including Quebec, New Brunswick and B.C., have said they expect schools  to reopen this fall with a blend of in-person classes and online learning at home.

The SickKids report says schools should be open daily if possible because they provide “consistency, stability and equity regardless of the region in which children live.”

“Consistency is essential for children and it will be important to ensure that once children return to school, the schools stay open to the extent possible.”

The advice will probably be controversial.

The association representing Ontario public school boards has urged the province to “phase in” school reopenings.

A brief from the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) isn’t specific about which students should go back when. However, it warns that school boards will need time to prepare, and the province should not adopt a “one size fits all” approach.

The province should develop guidelines that “describe how schools/school boards implement regional approaches based on their local context,” says the brief.

If students are required to practise physical distancing when classes resume, that will be easier in some schools than others, it says.

“There are differences across the province in terms of school capacity with some schools having plenty of extra space and others beyond or over capacity. Some schools/school boards may be able to return to full capacity sooner than others.”

The brief also notes that the province adopted strict guidelines for licensed child-care centres and summer camps. There should be some “common aspectsconcerning health and safety protocols affecting children and youth” at schools, it says. “We would also expect some consistency with any final decisions regarding plans for colleges and universities.”

Ontario daycares are drastically reducing enrolment because of a new limit of 10 children per room. Many colleges and universities plan a fall semester of mainly online courses.

Source: Ottawa Citizen, 17 June 2020.

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