This week, more than 610,000 young people across sa国际传媒 will start attending classes in person.
We used to take this for granted. It was routine, convention, tradition. For some, it was an annual rite of passage.
Last year changed that. Veteran 颅post-secondary students starting third or fourth year might be attending in-person classes for the first time in almost 18 months. Those starting college or university this or last September may be meeting their classmates, profs and lectures face to face and on campus for the first time ever.
And at grade schools, which did open last year, learning groups and cohorts will no longer dictate who students spend their days with. More young people may be opting for the standard brick-and-mortar option for schooling this September after a hiatus with online schooling or homeschooling last year.
There鈥檒l be far fewer pre-recorded classroom demonstrations, no more Zoom lectures or class discussions, and no more online exams.
It鈥檚 a return to something like normal.
It鈥檚 like old times.
Except it isn鈥檛.
Eighteen months into a pandemic, we鈥檝e entered its unwelcome fourth wave. The Delta variant took a while to get to sa国际传媒, but now 鈥� to paraphrase that well-known movie line 鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 here.鈥�
Caseloads in sa国际传媒 and across sa国际传媒 are rebounding.
It鈥檚 tiresome. And yet, here we are 鈥� looking nervously over our shoulders still (or again).
It鈥檚 the same ol鈥� pandemic, but this time in sa国际传媒, it looks different.
Many British Columbians are vaccinated to some degree this time.
But not enough are vaccinated to contain the new, improved variant or to protect those who cannot be vaccinated or who, even if fully vaccinated, remain highly vulnerable to the disease.
And so familiar social-containment 颅measures have returned, this time with a couple of twists. Except in hard-hit 颅hotspots in the Interior, where stricter measures to control contagion and spread have been enacted, businesses and nonessential 颅services remain open.
We鈥檙e back to donning masks to enter most indoor public spaces. As of Aug.聽25, anyone 12 and older, 颅regardless of 颅vaccination status, must mask up to enter a mall, grocery store, or shop, stop by the library, go to a community or 颅recreation centre, or take any type of public 颅transportation.
That includes staff and students in Grade 4 and above attending class at school. 颅Students younger than 12 鈥� none of whom are vaccinated 鈥� will be encouraged to wear masks.
The mask order also applies in all indoor public areas on post-secondary campuses, from lobbies, hallways, stairwells and 颅elevators to classrooms and labs.
Some not-so-familiar steps are also being taken. During this fourth wave of the 颅pandemic, vaccine passports are imminent.
Starting Sept. 13, sa国际传媒 residents aged 12 and older will need to show proof of having received at least one jab of the COVID-19 vaccine if they want to attend or take part in a non-essential service or event. The sa国际传媒 Vaccine Card will be needed to get into certain social and recreational settings 鈥� for example, to enjoy a pint at the pub, eat inside a restaurant or out on a restaurant patio, go to the movies, attend a concert or a ballgame, take a fitness class, or attend a conference or wedding.
By Oct. 24, people will need to be fully vaccinated and have waited at least seven days after receiving both doses of the 颅vaccine before entering those settings.
However, for all sa国际传媒 post-secondary颅 students living on campus, the measures come into effect this Tuesday. In addition, 颅students wishing to access non-essential indoor 颅services on campus 鈥� gyms, nightclubs, 颅restaurants and indoor events such as 颅sporting events, concerts and so on 鈥� will also have to show proof of vaccination.
Both the University of Victoria and Royal Roads University ask students and 颅employees to declare they are fully 颅vaccinated or undergo periodic rapid testing to access classrooms, laboratories, learning areas, student support or wellness centres, and general working areas.
Teachers, staff and eligible students at sa国际传媒鈥檚 kindergarten to Grade 12 schools are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to the classroom.
The new school year is typically a time of hope and new beginnings. We鈥檙e seeing some of that this September. Mixed in with ol鈥� familiar pandemic measures and new steps designed to shape and encourage people鈥檚 behaviour and choices, we鈥檙e seeing some signs towards a return to something almost nearly potentially resembling normalcy 鈥� maybe.
