B.C.’s top doctor says some students “may never catch up in their lifetime” after having their regular schooling disrupted by this pandemic.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says that can be an unintended consequence of measures to try and limit the spread of the virus.

“We know that there are some people who are more disavantaged during a school closure than others. Particularly students who have a chaotic home life, who may have challenges with food security in their home life. May have issues with being able to access online resources, for example.”

Henry wrote an article in 2011, called Social Distancing as a Pandemic Influenza Prevention Measure, on social distancing being a measure to limit the spread of a virus. It also focuses on the unintended consequences for students.

“We needed to understand how we could do school closures to minimize transmission risk but still support those most in need in our communities, and those children most in need so they don’t fall behind so much,” Henry says.

“And there’s been some really great initiatives in the school districts around the province to support those children and those families.”

In the Kamloops-Thompson School District, staff have maintained school meal programs and indicated that students who lack access to resources like the internet would get extra one-on-one supports and check ins from school staff.