COVID-19

CUPE members in K-12 and early learning are strongly encouraged to file a WorkSafeBC claim, using Form 6, in any and all instances where they have reason to believe they contracted COVID-19 while at work.

Current data provided by WorkSafeBC shows that the number of COVID-19 claims received for the education sector is quite low relative to the health and social services sectors. This suggests that the rate of COVID-19 cases from K-12 workplaces is low or that there is significant under-reporting of COVID-19 illnesses in this sector, or a combination of both.

It is a legislated requirement to report to WorkSafeBC if you have contracted COVID-19 while working. Also, there may be unforeseen long term conditions from COVID-19 that may be compensable, such as post-COVID syndrome. COVID-19 claims may be accepted for health care benefits even if there is no time loss.

Reporting illness or injury

As per the Guide on Filing WCB Claims for COVID-19 the process for reporting an illness or injury (including COVID-19) resulting from your employment is to:

• Report to your employer AND
• Complete and submit a WorkSafeBC Form 6 found at this link or provided by your employer when you report a workplace illness or injury

Members must report COVID-19 illness to their employer and to WorkSafeBC, and it is in their best interests to do so.

Cases of COVID-19 in the education sector are viewed by WorkSafeBC as due to presumptive workplace exposure. This means that cases of COVID-19 reported by K-12 (and early learning) staff have a high likelihood to be presumed as work-related and approved for claim.

Benefits of reporting to WorkSafeBC

On an approved claim, any time loss may be covered by WorkSafeBC rather than impacting a member’s pay or sick bank. Reporting cases of COVID-19 may also protect members from any time loss related to unforeseen subsequent health impacts resulting from the initial COVID-19 illness.  Having members file claims and report that a claim has been filed is important information for Joint Health and Safety Committees and health and safety in the workplace.

We will continue to remind WorkSafeBC and other stakeholders that we expect inclusive references to everyone in the education system, rather than simply referencing “teachers”. In the interest of transparency we have asked that WorkSafeBC provide data on the number of CUPE members, teachers, and administrators exposed to COVID-19, as well as the number of claims accepted in each category.

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Please follow us @cupek12bc on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and view bulletins at https://bcschools.cupe.ca.

Additional school districts have begun scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations and the vaccine will be available for all K-12 and early learning staff. The following is some background and guidance about this long awaited and very welcome news.

Advocacy brings positive outcome

The CUPE K-12 Presidents Council and CUPE
National staff have been advocating and working with the Ministries of Education and Health to ensure that everyone in the education system who is able to receive a vaccine, can get one. We are proud that this advocacy has resulted in a positive outcome.

We are also extremely pleased with the announcement by the Ministry of Labour today that they have introduced amendments to the Employment Standards Act that, if passed, will provide all workers with up to three hours of paid leave to get each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. If passed, the effective date will be retroactive to April 19, 2021.

We have been advocating on behalf of members so that they do not have financial barriers to getting vaccinated.

Addressing differing policies 

Regional health authorities will be working with districts in determining eligibility for vaccinations. In districts or regions where vaccine is not offered to all K-12 and early learning staff, we are asking CUPE locals to work with their CUPE National Representative so that we can bring these examples forward and increase our advocacy on behalf of those members.

Districts are stepping up to do the right thing

CUPE has broadly supported and encouraged members to be vaccinated. Various districts have found ways to achieve this without members incurring a loss to their pay or sick time.

Delta School District has maintained pay for CUPE 1091 members who are scheduled to be vaccinated during work hours. The Vancouver School Board and Richmond SD38 are scheduling vaccinations outside of work hours so that CUPE 15 and CUPE 716 members respectively, do not lose pay to be vaccinated.  We applaud these employers for demonstrating leadership and support of good public health policy.

Please follow us @cupek12bc on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and view bulletins at https://bcschools.cupe.ca.

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The provincial Steering Committee has developed a Q&A document to assist school districts in implementing the recent updates to the Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings regarding mask requirements. The Ministry has developed a new infographic poster for K-12 staff on ways to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in schools and a French-language version of the guidelines is now available.

5 ways to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in your school

Updated Provincial Guidelines-QA

K-12 COVID-19 Health & Safety guidelines

French – K-12 COVID-19 Health & Safety guidelines

Addendum Public Health Guidance K-12

As we welcome our members in public education back from spring break, we are unfortunately faced with deeply concerning trends in COVID-19 cases. According to Health Minister Adrian Dix, “rising case levels, variants of concern, increased transmission, and an increase in more severe cases are huge concerns.”

The Provincial Health Officer (PHO) amended several orders and guidelines to address the rising trends and announced that effective immediately all schools in B.C. will be requiring masks be worn at all times for everyone in schools Grades 4 and higher. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 will be strongly recommended to wear masks.

This requirement mirrors the order already announced in Surrey – School District 36. While the BCCDC continues to advise that masking remains the lowest form of protection on the hierarchy of protective intervention measure, this is welcome news to supplement other safety measures already required by the K-12 Provincial Guidelines and school district COVID Safety Plans.

The full list of new and amended orders can be found at the BC government website.

Pausing vaccination using AstraZeneca

Due to safety concerns, Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is recommending provinces pause the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine on people under the age of 55. Most provinces have announced that they would follow this guidance that will allow time for a NACI requested risk-benefit profile from AstraZeneca. BCCDC states that this should not significantly affect the vaccination roll-out for the K-12 sector.

The change comes following reports of very rare instances of blood clots in some immunized patients in Europe — notably among younger women. But 300,000 of these shots have already been administered in Canada, with no reports of blood clots here according to officials.

According to news reports, NACI vice-chair Dr. Shelley Deeks says that due to “substantial uncertainty” around these cases, the committee is recommending the suspension of shots in all people under 55 as a “precautionary measure.”

The blood clotting problem has not been reported in people who have received mRNA vaccines like the Pfizer and Moderna products.

What does this mean for CUPE members…

We know some of our members have already received this vaccine and may be concerned.

The NACI says vaccine-induced thrombocytopenia (VIPIT) resulting from the AstraZeneca vaccine appears to be extremely rare, occurring in anywhere from 1-in-125,000 to 1-in-1 million people. It also appears that if VIPIT occurs, it will be within 20 days of receiving the vaccine.

Despite this rarity, Health Canada advises that you should seek immediate medical attention if you develop any of the following symptoms after vaccination with AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine or COVISHIELD:

• shortness of breath
• chest pain
• leg swelling
• persistent abdominal pain
• sudden onset of severe or persistent worsening headaches
• blurred vision that starts several days after vaccination
• skin bruising or pinpoint round spots (other than at the site of vaccination) which starts a few days or more after vaccination

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SURREY—CUPE 728 members who are K-12 school-based support staff in Surrey will begin receiving vaccines today.

“This pandemic has been particularly stressful for K-12 workers throughout the system, and I thank all of them for the incredible work they’re doing every day to keep our schools open and safe,” says CUPE BC President Paul Faoro.

On Monday Dr. Bonnie Henry said that there is not enough vaccine to do everyone in the school system right now, so priority will be given where the risk is the greatest. Fraser Health and SD#36 are developing a vaccination plan for school-based staff.

“We are pleased that some of the K-12 school-based support staff in Surrey schools will be receiving vaccines,” said CUPE 728 President Tammy Murphy. “As more vaccines become available, it is our hope that all support staff receive their vaccines as soon as possible.”

Faoro says that dedicating any additional vaccine capacity to address potential high-risk worksites makes sense as B.C. continues to follow the guidance of the BC Centre for Disease Control.