Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Researchers looking at COVID-19 in teachers

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 Mar, 2021 05:54 PM
  • Researchers looking at COVID-19 in teachers

The debate over the safety of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic is coming under researchers' microscopes.

Three new projects are aiming determine how many teachers and school staff in Canada have had COVID-19, to help inform prevention strategies in neighbourhoods, schools and daycares.

About $2.9 million will be spent on the research in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec as part of the work of the national COVID-19 immunity task force.

All three projects will ask teachers for blood samples to determine how many have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, which would indicate a previous COVID-19 infection.

In Ontario, researchers are hoping for 7,000 teachers and education workers to enrol, while in B.C. the study will focus on the Vancouver School District.

In Quebec, the work will build on an existing study looking at the spread of the novel coronavirus in children in four Montreal neighbourhoods.

The research will also delve into the question of teachers' mental health, a key area of concern for educators in recent months.

While the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is released daily, the true number of how many people in Canada have been infected can't actually be known without widespread surveillance testing.

"Although daycare and school staff may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in their work settings, we don’t have much data on how many school staff have had asymptomatic infections, meaning they had no symptoms but potentially could transmit the virus,” said Dr. Catherine Hankins, co-chair of the task force.

The CITF was set up by the federal government to understand the factors in immunity to COVID-19.

A piece of that will be the vaccines, now rolling out across the country and teachers participating in the research will also be tracked post-vaccination to see whether their antibody levels change over time.

But so far, vaccines have not been approved for use in children, which will likely leave the debate about the safety of schools raging for months to come.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

U.K., Israel studies show single dose effective

U.K., Israel studies show single dose effective
B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said the plan is based on research in the two countries as well as evidence collected by the BC Centre for Disease Control and in Quebec.

U.K., Israel studies show single dose effective

Ex-ombud says he told Sajjan about Vance in 2018

Ex-ombud says he told Sajjan about Vance in 2018
Sajjan at that time repeatedly refused to say what he and Walbourne discussed during their meeting on March 1, 2018, citing confidentiality.

Ex-ombud says he told Sajjan about Vance in 2018

Trump words on Meng a 'salvo' in trade war: lawyer

Trump words on Meng a 'salvo' in trade war: lawyer
Meng was arrested at Vancouver's airport on Dec. 1, 2018, at the request of U.S. officials on charges of fraud that both she and Huawei deny.

Trump words on Meng a 'salvo' in trade war: lawyer

Ottawa budgets $5B to buy COVID-19 pharmaceuticals

Ottawa budgets $5B to buy COVID-19 pharmaceuticals
Canada is guaranteed to buy more than 240 million doses of seven different vaccines if all are approved, with only 6.5 million doses expected before the end of March.

Ottawa budgets $5B to buy COVID-19 pharmaceuticals

BC Ferries offers lower prices for main routes in the Lower Mainland

BC Ferries offers lower prices for main routes in the Lower Mainland
The new Saver fare is the most affordable fare choice. Saver fares range from $49 - $73.70 and include a free reservation.

BC Ferries offers lower prices for main routes in the Lower Mainland

Robbery suspect leaves his wallet behind: VPD

Robbery suspect leaves his wallet behind: VPD
When he pulled out his phone to make a call, a man ran by and allegedly grabbed it from his hands.

Robbery suspect leaves his wallet behind: VPD