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Okotoks area teachers relieved to get shot in arms

Alberta teachers, school bus drivers and school support staff eligible for vaccinations
News- Holly Oneill
St. John Paul II Collegiate teacher Holly O'Neill received her COVID-19 vaccination shortly after Premier Jason Kenney made all school staff eligible for the shot.

An Oilfields High School teacher has some peace of mind after taking a jab in the arm.  

Wade Westworth received his COVID-19 vaccine on May 4, about 24 hours after Premier Jason Kenney announced all teachers were eligible.   

“I am incredibly relieved,” said Westworth, who teaches at the Grade 7 to 12 school in Black Diamond. “I think (Alberta Teachers’ Association) president Jason Schilling summed it up: ‘It’s about time.’ 

“We are in front of the largest group of unvaccinated population in Alberta – school age students just recently got eligible for the vaccines.  

“There is tremendous risk as we saw community spread come into our classrooms. We do the very best we can here to ensure we maintain the strictest of protocols, but once students leave the school it is difficult to say what students do and how they mix cohorts or whatever. The community spread was concerning.”

Premier Jason Kenney announced on May 3 that effective the following day, all teachers, school support staff and child-care workers were eligible to book appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations.  

Westworth said he has been fortunate in that he has not yet had to isolate or teach online due to COVID cases linked to Oilfields, other than when the Province mandated schools had to do so. All Alberta students went to at-home learning as of May 7. They will return on May 25.

The Province also announced last week that all individuals over the age of 12 can start booking their vaccinations effective May 10.

 “For me, there was always a worry in the background,” Westworth said about COVID-19. “It’s not at the forefront of my mind.

“But it is highly personal. Some people are really concerned because there are underlying health issues. In my case, my parents live at my home, and being worried about picking up community spread from the classroom and bringing it home was definitely a concern for both my wife and I.”

The Westworths also have two children age 12 and 8 living at their home.

Holly O’Neill, a teacher at Grade 7 to 9 St. John Paul II Collegiate, received her vaccination on May 7, shortly after becoming eligible after Kenney’s announcement.

“Very relieved,” O’Neill said. “Just being in the classroom with 30-plus kids can feel a little unsafe at times.

“Although my students are pretty good at it, junior high kids trying to wear masks for eight hours isn’t always the best.

“And just the rising cases in the community and the school I just felt a little safer.”

As of noon on May 9, in Okotoks there were 245 active cases (687.4 per 100,000 people), Foothills County, 128 cases (568.7 per 100,000) and High River 66 cases (390 per 100,000) according to Alberta Health Services statistics. 

All three communities were deemed high risk and further COVID-19 restrictions placed on them through the Stop the Spike initiative.

O’Neill said several of her colleagues at SJPII quickly signed up.

“When the announcement came out, there were emails from staff telling us where we can book appointments, generally the staff was very excited – relieved,” she said.

Chris Fuzessy, Foothills School Division superintendent of schools, said teachers, education assistants, bus drivers and staff at schools becoming eligible is welcomed news.

“We have been hearing for the last couple of months from our employee group they would like to advocate on their behalf and we have certainly been doing that, most recently with one of our MLAs (Kananaskis-Banff MLA Miranda Rosin, who represents Millarville/Red Deer Lake area),” said Fuzessy, who had his vaccination on May 7.

School boards cannot force their employees to receive the vaccine.

“We certainly encourage people to strongly consider it and do the research necessary to make an informed decision,” he said.  

Westworth said while disappointed not to be teaching in front of students until May 25, he is hoping the increase in vaccinations and schools being closed to in person-learning will make for more consistent learning for the final month of school.

“The premier’s message buys us more time to get more people vaccinated, more teachers vaccinated and hopefully we can bend this curb down and get the community spread under control,” Westworth said.

Candace Denison, Foothills School Division communications manager, said many of its bus drivers were eligible for vaccinations prior to the Kenney announcement due to their ages. 

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