Dear Concerned Parents, Educators and Citizens,

We are seeking your support to maintain COVID-19 safety protocols in Calgary for the 2021-22 school year.

As most of us are aware, the Alberta Government has declared Covid-19 to be in the endemic stage by lifting all remaining Covid restrictions, effective on August 16, 2021.  All the protocols which have kept Albertans safe over the past year will be eliminated. As of this date, only 57% of all Albertans are fully vaccinated (Data source: AHS website Aug 10, 2021) and 0% of children under the age of 12.

We are very concerned that this policy ignores the risk of the oncoming and extremely contagious Delta Variant and fails to meet what will be public safety requirements.  As the Alberta government will cease testing and contact tracing, there will be a lack of mitigation and monitoring measures.  We fear this will result in a strong fourth wave of COVID-19 that will spread quickly throughout unvaccinated children which will leave children at risk of future COVID-19 complications.  Many parents fear sending their children to school as we have already begun to see a surge in pediatric COVID-19 cases in the United States.  We believe this will happen in Alberta if we do not act.

We are seeking to unite with other concerned parents, educators, and citizens to ask the City of Calgary ,Calgary School Boards and Calgary Zone Medical Officer to maintain 2020-21 Covid-19 safety protocols.  We need to prevent the spread of the Delta Variant.  We request to hold these safety protocols until such time as a vaccination is available for kids under 12.

Specifically, we are seeking the following:

1. Mask Mandate in school and school bus
    
2. Designated COVID testing portal for school kids and staffs
    
3. All positive cases are required to stay home. 
    
4. Symptomatic students or staff should stay home
    
5. The Calgary Zone Medical Officer of Health should continue supporting schools by releasing information regarding positive cases in schools, following up on tracing close contacts, and shall give recommendations on self-isolation.