EDMONTON — Alberta Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says grade school students will go back to classes Monday as planned with more medical masks and COVID-19 rapid test kits.
LaGrange says it’s important to balance the rise of the Omicron variant with health protections and the social and educational importance of in-person learning.
She says an initial shipment of extra masks and test kits will arrive at all schools no later than the end of next week.
LaGrange made the comments as the Omicron variant continues to propel the latest COVID-19 wave higher, with Alberta logging a new high positivity rate of almost 37 per cent.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, says there are 4,752 new cases of COVID-19 — also a record.
Hospital numbers also continue to rise, with 470 people being treated for the illness, including 72 in intensive care.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2022.
The Canadian Press