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the fear is particularly acute among parents of children under 12 not yet eligible for vaccines, particularly as hospitalizations among children in the united states topped 1,900 cases last week . out of 88 patients hospitalized with covid-19 this week in quebec, five were children under 19.
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anxieties increased after education minister jean-françois roberge’s announcement aug. 11 that children wouldn’t have to wear masks or social distance, and classroom bubbles would be scrapped. given that 76 per cent of eligible quebecers were considered adequately vaccinated as of mid-august (and 85 per cent had first doses), the government may be less aggressive in shutting down classrooms or schools after outbreaks, roberge said. but he stressed that because of the rapidly evolving nature of the disease, rules on masking and other measures could change, a message reiterated by premier françois legault this week.
confidence was not aided by the premier’s warning cases could rise as high as 2,000 a day once school begins . on tuesday, legault announced quebec was changing its policy and requiring cegep and university students to wear masks, after many institutes of higher learning had already announced they were planning to do so . the issue of masks for younger students is still being discussed, legault said
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quebec’s english school boards disobeyed the government’s cal; to resume full-time in-class learning for secondary 4 and 5 students last spring, saying it was too difficult and dangerous. english montreal school board chairman joe ortona intimated the boards could make decisions of their own again this fall.
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