Parents feeling shorthanded as Omicron threatens to overwhelm schools

It's like the Omicron variant is skating circles around Manitoba's schools.

Defensive strategies that once paid off, like informing parents of a COVID-19 exposure in their child's classroom, have been iced by the province. 

"We're in a precarious situation because now it's so transmissible. I don't know if it's reasonable to conduct contact tracing anymore," said Nusraat Masood, while watching her seven-year-old son play shinny on an outdoor rink.

"I'm not wildly happy about it, but I kind of understand that the resources can't be put in place to do it any more."

Fellow hockey parents, outside the Riverview Community Centre in Winnipeg Thursday night as their youngsters took to the ice, seemed to accept the province's rationale it can no longer control the novel coronavirus on a case-by-case basis.

The individual notifications of exposures and contact tracing will be no more. The province announced Thursday it will depend on parents to monitor for symptoms, alert the school and keep their children home if need be. Health officials expect a large proportion of people to become exposed to COVID-19 in the coming weeks.

WATCH | Hockey parents respond to end of COVID notifications:

Masood feels uncertain about the return to in-person learning on Monday, but considers a return to the classroom vital.

"It's just balancing all of these things, right?" she said.

"I'm concerned for their mental health, too. I don't think it's great for them to be at home. Young people, I think, need more social stimulation."

Shayla Vokey, a mother of two, is looking forward to the return to face-to-face schooling for all. Officials are trying their best, she said, and the province's decision to end case notifications doesn't change her approach.

"I'm not worried if there's someone in her class that has it and we don't get told, because I'm always monitoring for symptoms," she said, while taking a quick break from her skate. 

"I'm doing my part and I don't want to be told we can't do things."

The move to rely on individuals' personal responsibility means not every parent will take mitigation measures like contact tracing seriously, Isaac Pulford said.