Here’s a story out of Canada that’s caused quite a backlash. Peel Region Public Health has issued guidelines for parents of students who have been dismissed from school because a classmate has tested positive for the coronavirus suggesting that the child be quarantined in a room separate from all other family members for 14 days.
Parents are being told by public health that when their kids are dismissed from school because a classmate has tested positive, they must quarantine the child *alone* in a separate room for 14 days — even small children, even those who are asymptomatic.https://t.co/PgeO1cN7or
— Anthony Furey (@anthonyfurey) February 28, 2021
Anthony Furey writes in the Toronto Sun:
Peel Health has issued guidelines to parents instructing them to keep any children who have been sent home because a classmate has tested positive for COVID-19 isolated in a separate room from all other family members for 14 days.
The severe guidelines, which apply even to small children who are dismissed from child care, are being criticized by experts as harmful and not supported by science.
“This is cruel punishment for a child, especially for younger children, 4-10 years old,” Dr. Susan Richardson, a microbiologist and infectious disease physician who is also a professor emerita at University of Toronto, wrote in an email to the Sun.
“Shutting a child off from their parents and siblings for up to 14 days in this manner could produce significant and long-lasting emotional and psychological effects.”
Global News reports that Peel Health is in “damage control mode” due to the “lack of clarity on a flyer that was sent home to parents.”
No.
— Julie Borowski (@JulieBorowski) March 1, 2021
That is horrific. WTF is wrong with these people
— Citizen Boog (@citizenboog) March 1, 2021
When my 2 kids were forced home in November they told us this too. We didn’t listen and lived normally in our house. No extra cleaning or sanitizing, no masks and we continued to snuggle up on the couch together. Anyone who listened to this garbage is nuts.
— A.L.T (@amburr24) February 28, 2021
If we allow this to occur, anywhere, we are agreeing to a society living as objects rather than as humans.
If a child is SICK with even something contagious like measles/chickenpox, they NEED direct care by an adult. Solitary confinement for healthy or sick children is criminal.— Neda Amani MD (@nedaamani) March 1, 2021
Yeah…no. If my kids is quarantined, I’m with them…PERIOD.
— Jeff Evener (@evenerjeff) March 1, 2021
I appreciate how these mental health specialists stepped up to the plate to firmly kick this in the rear. We need more of this
— Dr. Tannahill Glen (@tannahillglen) March 1, 2021
This is pretty disturbing.
— Harry D'Agostino (@agostino_harry) March 1, 2021
Disgusting and sad, but we really let it get to this point.
— Sebastian Wolfe (@SebWolfePRO) March 1, 2021
I've seen posts where parents have abandoned their child in a room. They can hear them crying and asking for a hug but they're "too scared" to comfort them. Nothing on this earth would stop me comforting my child if she needed me.
— Chrissie (@Chrissie1306) March 1, 2021
This is ABUSE. Nothing short of it.
— Sara Smith (yep, Smith…) (@Mom4CHES) March 1, 2021
This is completely insane.
— Matt (@Bramm4Braves22) March 1, 2021
Respectfully, said public health officials need to go fornicate themselves sans lubrication.
— アーケットシスターズ (@ArquetteSisters) March 1, 2021
The United Nations recognizes this as torture when done to adults for periods exceeding two weeks, with lasting mental health effects, including permanent and serious mental illness.
Abolish solitary confinement – don't use it on your kids.
— PariahDog?⚖️ (@Pdog119) February 28, 2021
Oops:
We made a mistake. We put out a flyer about what parents and guardians should do when their child gets sent home from school after a COVID-19 exposure and we left out an important detail. pic.twitter.com/bPszYjcVAS
— Region of Peel (@regionofpeel) March 1, 2021
Anyone exposed to COVID-19 is directed to self-isolate at home away from others in the home as much as possible. That includes children.
— Region of Peel (@regionofpeel) March 1, 2021
For children, we know that a caregiver may need to isolate with them to help with daily living, such as bathing, feeding, clothing and emotional support.
— Region of Peel (@regionofpeel) March 1, 2021
This direction, which was set by the Province, has been in place to help prevent spread across Ontario since before school started in September.
— Region of Peel (@regionofpeel) March 1, 2021
The specific details about the caregiver isolating with the child were on our web site but not on the flyer. No surprise that it would upset and confuse people. We’re fixing it right now.
— Region of Peel (@regionofpeel) March 1, 2021
We know you want to protect your children from COVID-19 and we do, too. We’re sorry for the confusion and for making an already stressful time more difficult.
— Region of Peel (@regionofpeel) March 1, 2021
@ezralevant That "mistake" has been approved by several reviewers before being published. Will anyone have any consequences for this "mistake" or it's business as usual?
— Rocket (@RocketGoftheG) March 1, 2021
— Rob Skrzyniak (@screws1974) March 1, 2021
This "mistake" was punctuated with the threat of a $5000 fine. That didn't get left off the flyer. And it concerns me greatly that school boards and teacher unions reinforced these guidelines without question.
— Thatchergirl (@Thatchergirl1) March 1, 2021
Related:
'This is some evil, authoritarian insanity': LA Unified School District pleased to announce they're teaming up with Microsoft to monitor kids https://t.co/bmIZa8a6rK
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 1, 2021
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