Five years after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in British Columbia, students and educators say the effects of a pandemic that forced schooling online are still being felt.
On Jan. 28, 2020, B.C.’s first case of COVID-19 was reported in a man in the Vancouver Coastal Health region who had travelled to China. On March 17, shortly after the start of spring break, the province announced the suspension of classroom instruction.
Much of the next two school years featured hybrid and online schooling as school boards in the province adjusted their schedules and health officials faced criticism over masking policies in schools and the release of data on the spread of the virus in school settings.
Students whose schooling was disrupted by the pandemic say the loss of social connections that came with online schooling led to a difficult learning experience.