MEMORANDUM

To:                   Dalhousie students, faculty and staff

From:               Frank Harvey, Provost & Vice-President Academic (Acting)
                         Gitta Kulczycki, Vice-President, Finance & Administration

Date:                Sunday, November 22, 2020

Re:                   Two COVID-19 cases identified and adherence to Public Health measures

This weekend, Nova Scotia Public Health has informed Dalhousie University of two confirmed COVID-19 cases among our student community living off-campus in Halifax.

COVID-19 cases

The two students who have confirmed positive for COVID-19 are self-isolating, as required, and we are appreciative of their actions to seek testing and wish them a speedy recovery. The students are studying virtually and are not associated with our residence community.

When a new case of COVID-19 is confirmed, Nova Scotia Public Health (NSPH) works to identify and test people who may have come in close contact with that person. NSPH contacts individuals that may be affected through contact tracing and will provide further instruction to those individuals. Where there is potential community exposure, NSPH also issues exposure notifications. NSPH has not identified any campus locations for an exposure notification at this time.

Staff from our Student Health and Wellness teams in both Halifax and Truro are always available to support our students, at 902-494-2171 (Halifax) and 902-893-6369 (Truro), should they have any health concerns. Employees looking for any support are encouraged to speak with their manager/supervisor or connect with supports available through our Employee Family Assistance Program, which can be accessed at workhealthlife.com or at login.lifeworks.com or through your Blue Cross employee benefits. 

Respecting both privacy and public health matters, this is as much information as we can share.  

Stay safe – follow public health guidelines

Greater Halifax is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases and Public Health has stated that the current increase in cases is being driven by socializing among 18-35-year-olds. Our student community is at increased risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19 right now.

The best way to keep you, your family, your friends and your community safe is to follow public health guidelines. We all have a responsibility to do our part to prevent COVID-19’s spread.

• Keep your social group small and consistent. Large gatherings and parties put you and others at risk.
• Starting Monday, Nov. 23, the limit for gathering size indoors without social distancing is now reduced to 5 people in all of HRM/Halifax (except the areas of Porters Lake to Ecum Secum) as well as the Enfield and Mount Uniacke areas of Hants County. Individuals who do not follow public health restrictions are subject to fines.
• Wear your mask in all indoor common/public spaces and maintain a safe social distance (6 ft / 2 m) whenever possible.
• Regularly wash your hands and use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
• Stay home if you feel sick and follow provincial testing protocols if you show symptoms of COVID-19. (Employees are reminded of the additional procedures in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case for an employee on or off campus.)
• Download the COVID Alert app and pay attention to the latest exposure notices, which are posted by Public Health here.
• If you are travelling or planning to travel, follow protocols for self-isolation or quarantine if required. Please refer to the recent student memo regarding updated self-isolation/quarantine requirements.

For COVID-19 updates and information for the Dalhousie community, visit dal.ca/coronavirus. For more information on COVID-19 protocols in Nova Scotia, visit novascotia.ca/coronavirus.

Thank you to all for your continued efforts to keep our community safe. These efforts are more important than ever to ensure our own health and safety and the safety of those within our community who may be at more risk.

Sincerely,

Frank Harvey
Provost & Vice-President Academic (Acting)

Gitta Kulczycki
Vice-President Finance & Administration

Dalhousie University is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. We are all Treaty people.

We recognize the histories, contributions and legacies of African Nova Scotian communities which have been here for over 400 years.