BARRHEAD/WESTLOCK-Even though restrictions have now been lifted on indoor and outdoor children’s sports, school events like a day trip to the local ski hill are not permitted in the Pembina Hills School Division while the pandemic rages on.
On Jan. 29, Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced the details of a four-step plan to lift the public health restrictions imposed in December to control the spread of COVID-19.
This four-step plan will be guided by hospitalizations for COVID-19, and once Alberta reaches a certain threshold, the province will assess over the next three weeks whether or not to move to the first step.
Step 1, which was based on a COVID-19 hospitalization benchmark of 600, would see the easing of restrictions on children’s sport activities if they are related to school activities, such as Physical Education class.
Restrictions were also eased on restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as one-on-one training as part of indoor fitness.
In short, K-12 schools and universities would be allowed to use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities. Alberta moved into this first step on Monday, Feb. 8.
“We (were) able to ease restrictions on Feb. 8 thanks to the efforts of all Albertans,” said Shandro, in a release.
“We need to stick to a stepped approach so we don’t risk the steady improvements we’ve made. Although restrictions remain in place, the path forward gives us all more options in our daily lives.”
On Feb. 1, the Pembina Hills School Division posted a notice to its website in response to the Premier’s ‘roadmap’ for the lifting of restrictions.
The notice states that intramural activities and team practices can occur if no new cohorts are created, but Pembina Hills is still prohibiting school teams from competing with each other.
As well, while physical education activities that require other facilities are now possible, Pembina Hills is still prohibiting the use of other facilities for anything other than scheduled Phys Ed time.
“That means that using part or all of a day for skiing will not be permitted yet,” the notice states.
There may be further restrictions lifted on children’s sport activities as new hospitalization thresholds are reached and the province progresses through the four-step plan.
