LETTER: Concerned parents, doctors and citizens issue call to help keep students healthy and safe

The following letter was made available to SooToday. It was sent to:

Ms. Recce, Ms. Sarlo, Mr. Rankin, Ms. Edwards, Ms. Johnston, Ms. Myers, Mr. Bowman, Ms. Thayer, Mr. Provenzano, Mr. Romano, Mr. Sheehan, Mr. Lecce, Ms. Elliott, Dr. Moore, Dr. Loo and Dr. Tuinema.

We are writing to advocate for immediate actions to help control the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in Sault Ste. Marie. 

The rapid spread of Covid-19 infections in our community is extremely alarming. We are aware that school-aged children are being infected and contributing to community spread, which endangers individuals in our community who are at high risk for adverse outcomes. 

The recent approval of the Pfizer vaccine for the 5-11 age group will help; however, full vaccine efficacy is only achieved 10 weeks after a child receives their first shot, and some parents remain hesitant to have their child vaccinated. Previous experience tells us that the winter holidays will contribute to additional spread. It is clear that more than vaccination is required to reduce local infection rates.

We request your support in initiating several actions to help reduce spread within our schools.  

First, Rapid Antigen Testing has been deployed to schools in Ontario; we ask that it be made available for students in Sault Ste. Marie immediately, to reduce the likelihood of an asymptomatic child bringing the virus to school.

Second, there is evidence that additional air filtering can reduce spread; we ask that these filters be deployed to our classrooms, even in newer schools with good ventilation, to further reduce virus particle presence in aerosols in classrooms.

Finally, we ask that other helpful actions be considered, like having vaccine clinics at schools to ensure widespread access to vaccines, and the deployment of home PCR tests. 

Several of these actions have been put in place elsewhere in Ontario, and we see no reason why they should not be employed here to help decrease the impacts of Covid-19 on our students, and our community.

Respectfully,

Adrianna Schamp, MD, parent, FH Clergue PS

Brandon Schamp, parent, FH Clergue PS

Whitney Whitfield, HBSW, FH Clergue PS

Cara Yakasovich, parent, FH Clergue PS

Nikki Watkins, FH Clergue PS

Jessica McCarthy, FH Clergue PS

Lorraine Sharp, CCFP (COE), FH Clergue PS

Kerith Slagel, RPh, FH Clergue PS

Brad Slagel, parent, MD, FRCSC, FH Clergue PS

Annelise Iacoe, FH Clergue PS

Dr. James Curran, FH Clergue PS

Maija Laitinan, FH Clergue PS

MacKenzie Ludgate, MD, FH Clergue PS

April Ludgate, DVM, FH Clergue PS

Justin Campbell, parent, FH Clergue PS

Melissa Hemy, MD, parent, FH Clergue PS

Luca, student, FH Clergue PS

Mateo, student, FH Clergue PS

Eva Black, parent, Grandview PS

Fleur Nelson MPT, parent, Grandview PS

Anna Rendell, parent, Grandview PS

Jenn Anderson, parent , Grandview PS

Miranda Ableson, parent , Grandview PS

Tricia Mick, parent , Grandview PS

Dr. Amanda Roe, PhD, parent, Grandview PS

Dr. Chris MacQuarrie, PhD, parent, Grandview PS

Dr. Josh Johnston, PhD, parent , Grandview PS

Lynn Johnston, MSc, parent, Grandview PS

Dr. Katharine Dawson, parent, MD, MHSc (Community Health and Epidemiology), SAH Hospitalist, Grandview PS

Carrie Kuntz, parent, MD, Tarentorous PS

Nadia Bowen, Tarentorous PS

Mike Bonder, Tarentorous PS

Trish Parson, parent, Tarentorous PS

Geoff Skelton, parent, Tarentorous PS

Jennifer Entwistle PT, MPT, MClSc, parent, Tarentorous PS

M. Beduhn MSc, MD, Tarentorous PS

Isabel Molina, parent, Anna McCrea PS

Kristy McKay, MA and parent, Anna McCrea PS

Dr. Trevor Tchir, Anna McCrea PS

Jennifer Foote, parent, Anna McCrea PS

Michelle Dayboll, parent, Anna McCrea PS

Karen Booth, parent, MD, Riverview PS and Korah HS

Jonathan Coulman, Riverview PS and Korah HS

Ed Hirvi, parent, Boreal PS

Sara Giroux BSc, MD, CCFP, MPH, FRCS

Luke Fera, BSc, MD, MSc (clinical epidemiology)

Jenna Rebelo, MSc, MD, parent