Alberta students wary as they return to class Monday

For the first time since before the holidays, students in Alberta returned to the classroom after their break was extended due to a spike in COVID-19 infections.

Twelve-year-old Charlie Kozak of Calgary says he won’t feel safe being in class.

He told The Canadian Press he is concerned about the spread of the Omicron variant as kids resume in-person learning.

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Kozak says he knows peers who went on international vacations during the extended break and others attended unsafe family gatherings.

He says there are not enough precautions in place in classrooms as Alberta goes through a record-breaking surge of COVID-19 infections.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced last week that students will get more medical masks and COVID-19 rapid test kits.

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However, Kozak’s mom, Dr. Stephanie Cooper, says some parents and kids won’t get them until later, which could exacerbate the spread of a variant that is very contagious.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical health officer, says returning to in-person learning is important for students’ mental wellness.