Central Okanagan School board chair not sure what will happen with staff vaccine directive

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The chair of the Central Okanagan School District's Board of Education says they will need more information from the province before determining the fate of its vaccination mandate.

Moyra Baxter made the comment Thursday after provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced mask mandates will end effective midnight tonight, and proof of vaccinations to access various services would end April 8.

However, students in K-12 will still be required to wear masks in classrooms until spring break.

The announcements come six weeks after the School District 23 board voted to require staff prove they have been double vaccinated, or take routine rapid tests before entering the classroom.

Those requirements were to come into effect April 4, when schools reopen following spring break.

"I can't say much about that because I have no idea," said Baxter when asked about the status of that decision.

"I am going to have to find out what that means for some of the things we have put in place to come into effect after spring break about knowing employees vaccine status."

It was revealed this week that UBC ended a similar vaccine-or-test program on March 1 at the urging of officials with Vancouver Coastal Health.