School board rep says ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ with vaccine eligibility changes

The vice-chair of the Regina Board of Education was excited to hear that teachers will soon be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines.

On Tuesday, the government announced that on Thursday, it will lower the age requirement to 44 for vaccine appointments. Then, on April 28, eligibility will be extended to those 40 and over.

After that, a number of essential workers including teachers will be prioritized.

“We were just kind of hanging on for that plus-40 turning point, that maybe the province would announce that,” said Tara Molson.

“So it was just super-exciting to hear that teachers and school staff would all be prioritized next week.”

Students in Regina schools are currently learning remotely. They are not expected back in the classroom until at least May 3. By then, kids, teachers and parents will have had six straight weeks of online classes.

Speaking to the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Wednesday, Molson said teachers miss their students and want to be back in the classroom.

“Temporary remote learning isn’t ideal, but it’s the safest option for us, as recommended by the Regina medical health officers. But I know that there’s been a lot of smiles and a lot of relief after the announcement yesterday, for sure,” she said.

Some teachers have voiced frustration with online learning, over the quality of education and the challenges with finding child care.

Molson sympathizes with those parents and validated those complaints.

“We understand that there’s a lot of play in trying to make sure that their care is lined up and they were able to accommodate the temporary remote learning,” she said. “We definitely understand that frustration but with the announcement (Tuesday) we feel that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel there.”