Thread by @PeterCBC

It's an NL COVID briefing, focused on k-12 education
The premier says people are passionate about what should be done.
"They're anxious about what's to come, angry even about what the Omicron variant has taken from all of us"
#covid19nfld

The premier says his kids, your kids, are losing something valuable every single day
"It's a cruel robbery of experience" he says the safety of kids must come first, and there are lots of opinions, he says we need to follow the evidence #covid19nfld

*NEW*
They're reopening schools for k-12 students to in person learning Tuesday Jan 25
The premier says it's the right decision, across the country 97% of students are in school.
#covid19nfld

Andrew Furey says they will change if the situation changes but this is the best option.
He points out that the Canadian Pediatric Society has endorsed a return to in person learning #covid19nfld

Furey says vaccination rates are high, 75% of kids have their first dose
70% of teachers are fully boosted with 3 doses
Close to 100% of teenagers have > 1 dose
#covid19nfld

There are now 20 people in hospital (the highest ever)
There are 2 new deaths
764 new recoveries
There are 360 new cases
212 in Eastern
63 Central
57 Western
23 LG Health
#covid19nfld

NL will remain in Alert Level 4 as students go back to school
*NEW*
Effective midnight Friday people entering the province will still receive tests, but after 2 rapid tests you'll be free (taken 24 hours apart)
#covid19nfld

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says we can't let fear guide our decisions.
She says they've assed the risks and benefits of going back to school
She says school is important for their emotional and physical wellbeing #covid19nfld

Dr. Fitzgerald says there are some children living with violence and school is their safe place.
She's concerned about the mental health, lack of socialization, says it can fuel anxiety and depression.
It has an impact on parents #covid19nfld

93% of students >12 are fully vaccinated
75% of younger have dose one
Today second doses will start (8 weeks after their first dose)
Will take 6 weeks for majority to become fully vaccinated.
That's too long to suspend in person learning says Dr. Fitzgerald #covid19nfld

Dr. Fitzgerald says COVID is circulating in the community, and so expect to see it in schools, but the benefits of being in school outweigh the risks #covid19nfld

They're recommending 3 layer masks (you can double up regular masks), medical masks are acceptable says Dr. Fitzgerald.
Students need to have 2 tests 72 hours apart before they go back to school #covid19nfld

If you're just recovering from an infection, you might still test positive 21 days after symptoms started with a rapid test, so anyone in this situation won't have to test #covid19nfld

*NEW*
Effective Monday, anyone in the same household everyone in the same house is considered high risk (as well as sexual contacts), even if the person is isolating away
There will be info on the website with new guidance #covid19nfld

If a school age child is not a household contact, and they're not fully vaccinated, and they have no symptoms, they can still go to school. She says the risk of transmission is lower. If it's a household contact the person is high risk #covid19nfld

*NEW* If you're a non household contact and you're not a high risk contact you can now go to school or work
(this doesn't apply if you work with vulnerable populations) #covid19nfld

Dr. Fitzgerald warns that cases will go up as we open schools.
She warns not to use schools as a guide for other activities.
She says people need to keep their contacts low.
#covid19nfld

They're not resuming sports or arts activities where people CAN'T distance #covid19nfld

Unlike previous waves, Dr. Fitzgerald warns that they will not be able to stop community transmission.
She says restrictions are like a dam, when you lift them you'll see a rise in the number of cases #covid19nfld
"there is no perfect solution"

Health minister up now, John Haggie is promising flow charts to guide people through the new isolation changes #covid19nfld

Rapid tests are scarce says Haggie. He says they're targeting them to travellers, schools, personal care home, long term care and daycares
1.3 million tests arriving the first 2 weeks of February.
That will carry through these groups until the end of Feb #covid19nfld

The lab has caught up on PCR tests, it takes 24 hours from swab to result now says Haggie
#covid19nfld

Every parent has to make a decision that's best for their child, but lots of things to think about when considering removing a kid from schools.
"We know this illness is mild in this age group" she says. Older kids have good vaccine protection #covid19nfld

Yes your child may get COVID, someone in their class may get it, but all the evidence shows it's likely to be mild.
Get your kids vaccinated says Dr. Fitzgerald #covid19nfld

There are 205 bachelor of education students (who have already spent 25 days in classroom) they'll be able to fill in if need be.
Retired teachers can now work more days and still collect their pension
#covid19nfld

There are 1,100 supply teachers, they're the first call
Learning assistants can also be used to fill in
They can access retired staff
Student teachers
If that fails, they can reassign staff
#covid19nfld

If a student has medical needs they can support students, not as robust as virtual learning.
They can't support children who voluntarily stay home, but they'll do what they can says the head of the school board #covid19nfld

Students in a class won't be contacted if there's a case in their class, they're not considered close contacts says Dr. Fitzgerald
She says children have less severe disease, with masking and cohorting that will reduce spread #covid19nfld

"This is really a transition period to living with endemic covid" says Dr. Fitzgerald, to this becoming more like flu or RSV
They're treating this differently, the impacts on society are important and have to balance those harms she says #covid19nfld

Substitute teachers will have rapid test kits (along with other staff like bus drivers)
If they're going back to school right away, follow the same process as anyone else.
If you have symptoms, do a test #covid19nfld

Why not have a hybrid model, some virtual, some in person, give parents the options?
They tried it last year says Tom Osborne.
Teachers weren't fond of it, students weren't fond, neither were parents, students at home didn't get the same attention as in class #covid19nfld

"It was very difficult to try and do both in person and have a virtual component simultaneously" says Robert Stack
He says there aren't enough staff to do both.
"We're focusing on the classroom" he says #covid19nfld

When lifting restrictions on businesses?
The premier says lifting too much too quickly can case harm.
He says they're looking at it continuously #covid19nfld

The premier says schools should be the last to close and first to open.
Dr. Fitzgerald says they're trying to keep contacts low and spread low, and they've tried to minimize what's closed.
"If we open the tap too quickly we're going to cause a flood" #covid19nfld

The 24 hours of isolation for travellers introduced today will be in place for 2 weeks and then reevaluated says the premier #covid19nfld

Other provinces have published data on how many cases in long term care homes? Why not here?
Haggie says the numbers are so low that identifying a facility with a case count or death will identify people #covid19nfld

(other provinces manage to publish outbreak information without identifying individuals)

If they decide they have to clamp down as cases rise, schools won't be the first things to close, they'll look at other options.
Hospitalizations, health capacity will be what they monitor (along with case counts, but less so now)
#covid19nfld

It's definitely a much more nuanced approach she says, it's not just case counts and Rt values
She says they're getting regular modelling info and looking at that
#covid19nfld

Child care centres should hear about how to get rapid tests in the next few days.
"There have been closures" says the education minister, says it mirrors what we've seen in the community.
He doesn't give any numbers
#covid19nfld

Renell LeGrow says 200 complaints received by service NL and dozens of orders issued against businesses.
The premier and health minister says they can't comment #covid19nfld

The health minister says they report hospitalizations due to COVID.
He says there are others in hospital with COVID positive tests
There are 55 covid positive patients, only 20 are there because COVID was their first diagnosis #covid19nfld

The premier ends the news conference with a push for people to get vaccinated, 1/4 of 5-11 year olds could get vaccinated but haven't yet! #covid19nfld

Sorry this should be Tony Stack, not Robert stack (apologies to the actor, the NL supreme court justice, and you for the confusion)