Premier Silver, Minister Clarke, Minister McLean: we call on you to immediately supply appropriately sized HEPA air filtration units to all Yukon classrooms to reduce the risk of COVID transmission in our schools.

Omicron is causing unacceptable disruptions to learning in Yukon.  We must deploy every tool to combat this highly transmissible COVID variant.  This includes providing the best possible air quality for students in Yukon's schools.

Many studies now suggest the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads not just by respiratory droplets but through small particle aerosols that can linger for extended periods of time in indoor spaces.

Health Canada and the US Centres for Disease Control acknowledge this and recommend suitably-sized air filtration as one tool to help reduce the likelihood of transmission in enclosed spaces (in combination with other public health measures).

While we accept that improved air quality is not the silver bullet in this pandemic, it is an important step towards managing our education system's health by creating a safer working and learning environment for our kids, their teachers and all frontline education workers.

The return to Yukon's schools after the annual winter break has been marked by staff shortages and high-absenteeism due to sickness - largely from COVID.  While we learn to live with this virus in our community, we must do everything we can to stabilize our school environments to allow our kids to consistently learn in-person.  Shifting back-and-forth from in-person to online is not an acceptable solution.  

Some jurisdictions in Canada such as Ontario, BC, and certain school boards in Quebec and Alberta have begun distributing portable HEPA filtration units to their classrooms.  Manitoba has announced millions in funding to improve school ventilation.  It is time for Yukon to take action on this important matter.

Premier Silver, Minister Clarke, Minister McLean: we call on you to immediately supply appropriately sized HEPA air filtration units to all Yukon classrooms to reduce the risk of COVID transmission in our schools.

NOTE: While we appreciate the support of everyone interested in this cause, we ask that you only sign if you are a current Yukon resident.  Due to the rules of the Yukon legislature, we won't be able to formally submit this petition for a government response.  However, by limiting to Yukon residents we can show our politicians and policy makers how strongly their constituency feels about this topic.  Thank you!