Learning during a pandemic has been an uphill battle for students, schools, teachers and parents alike.

As COVID-19 cases in schools continue to rise, and protocols and measures continue to pivot to try to curb the spread in schools specifically, students and teachers are reporting higher levels of stress.

Teacher’s mental health has been tested day in and day out as they are faced with ever changing measures to keep school COVID cases as low as possible.

Student ability to concentrate and learn has also been negatively affected by the pandemic. Whether in-class where students face stringent PPE and social distancing protocols, or in remote or hybrid learning environments that themselves present a whole new set of challenges, students’ academic success is suffering.

But what can be done?

The first step is to understand the impact of COVID cases in schools as a stress factor so that schools can create structures to promote safe and healthy environments for everyone.