Jennifer Whiteside

School begins for British Columbia students Monday, with the province's top doctor laying out plans for keeping children safe as COVID-19 infections surge.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says it is essential to keep schools open for the emotional, physical and intellectual well-being of children.

Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside says safety measures include virtual assemblies, visitor restrictions, staggered break times and access to three-layered masks as they navigate this wave of COVID-19.

Whiteside says school attendance will be monitored and an unusual dip will trigger a response from public health, which may include an investigation, the use of rapid tests or a temporary shift in how students learn.

Teri Mooring, the head of the BC Teachers' Federation, says she would like to see teachers prioritized for COVID-19 vaccine boosters and N95 masks available for use in schools.

Dr. Henry also told businesses to redeploy their COVID-19 safety plans to help reduce crowding and protect workers and customers while keeping their operations running through the surge.