Masking and physical distancing will not be required in schools nor early learning and child care centres, the Yukon government confirmed this morning.

Nor will students riding the school buses have to wear face coverings.

Most students will return to classes on Monday of next week.

Those include pupils in Dawson City, where the school year had originally been intended to start tomorrow. Multiple construction projects have delayed the year’s start.

“The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, including children,” Dr. Sudit Ranade, the chief medical officer of health, said in a statement.

“Kids need to be able to socialize, learn, play and interact with their peers in order to get the most out of their learning environment – both in school and in early learning and child care programs, which stay open year-round.

“It is more important than ever for students to return to a near-normal school routine to support their mental health and well-being,” Ranade added.

“Good hand and respiratory hygiene, regular cleaning and disinfection, and staying home when sick continue to play an important role in keeping these spaces safe.”

Parents and caregivers, Ranade said, “should use common sense to determine whether a child is well enough to attend school, early learning and child care programs or other activities.

“Children who are ill, regardless of symptoms, should stay home to rest and recover and avoid infecting others.

“Observe and talk to your child frequently to see if they have new or worsening symptoms.”

The territory is shifting from the acute stage of the pandemic to “learning to live” with the virus, he said.

“We have the opportunity to make decisions based on our personal risk. The decision to wear a mask at school, on the bus or in any public setting, is a personal one.

“Students, teachers and staff should consider their personal risk and take steps to protect themselves. I encourage everyone to respect each other’s personal prevention measures,” Ranade said.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect against severe outcomes from COVID-19, he stressed.

“I encourage all Yukoners aged six months and over to stay up to date with their vaccines.”

Vaccination appointments can be booked online or by contacting local health centres.

Ranade said he will continue to work closely with the Department of Education and Yukon Communicable Disease Control to monitor the impacts of COVID-19, and other communicable diseases, and update recommendations and guidance as needed.

“Each community and place of learning is unique,” the top doctor said.

“By working together, we can support the best interests of our children, schools and communities.”

Many of those points were re-emphasized during a media briefing held this morning by Ranade and Nicole Morgan, the deputy minister of Education.

“Kids need to be able to socialize,” Ranade told reporters, adding a balanced approach to controlling COVID-19 can ensure that goal is met. Medical practitioners are finding the virus remains “highly transmissible but far less severe.”

He later noted, “There are going to be people who choose to wear a mask as a personal choice; it is an acceptable choice, and it is important that be respected.”

Morgan said the overall goal is to “provide safe, inclusive, supportive environments” in the schools, which she described as “an immense challenge.”

The “optimal” environment, she said, is for students to learn in person in schools, not virtually from home.

At the same time, she said, “we acknowledge there may be interruptions to operations of schools.”

Depending on circumstances, Morgan said, “we may have to look at short-term, targeted remote learning; our intent will be for the least amount of time possible.”

Educational facilities are controlled environments, she noted. “Schools are different environments than, say, Walmart.”

All schools’ ventilation systems have been inspected, Morgan said, and 397 HEPA filter units (high-efficiency, particulate-absorbing filters) have been installed system-wide.

Precautions such as hand hygiene will be followed, and students showing any symptoms of illness will be asked to stay home.

Nevertheless, absences are the norm at the start of every school year, Morgan said.

“We do expect to see some higher numbers of student absenteeism. We expect COVID will be a part of the mix.

“We expect schools will be ready to pivot to remote learning if needed.” That would be done on an individual basis only, she added.

The pandemic has taken a toll on students, staff and parents, the deputy minister pointed out.

“Our approach is similar to where we left off at the end of the (2021-22) school year.”

A serious change in the public health situation could affect plans, she added.

“Right now, nothing has changed on that front.”

As for the staffing scenario, Morgan said, “When staff have to stay away because they are ill, it can create the potential for some schools to have a reduction in their operational capacity ... our priority is that learning continue for the students.”

The department is attempting to fill a variety of positions throughout the system, particularly in some communities, where a shortage of housing only exacerbates the challenges.

To help ensure that learning continues, Morgan said, the department has teachers on call, and is trying to recruit more of them.

When all options have been exhausted, “that is when we have discussions with the school community and the school council.”

Certified staff members specializing in such areas as counselling and reading recovery could also help deal with the problem of absent teachers, she added.

Ultimately, she said, “we need to be able to have enough staff on site to ensure we are welcoming students to a safe environment.”

Generally, Morgan noted, the two-year recovery plan has included tracking COVID’s impacts on learning and on students’ mental wellness.

She pointed out that students who were in Grade 5 in 2019 are now entering secondary school.

“Our high school staff will be working directly with those students,” she said.