MEMORANDUM

To:        Dalhousie students

From:    Verity Turpin, Vice Provost, Student Affairs (Acting)

Date:    Thursday, November 26, 2020

Re:        Important precautions for travel over the December break

Dear students,

This week, the Atlantic Provinces (and Nova Scotia) announced new important Public Health restrictions. Of note, residents of the four provinces are no longer free to travel within the Atlantic region, without having to self-isolate. If you choose to travel, an increase of COVID-19 cases could impose sudden travel restrictions, potentially impacting your re-entry to Canada/Nova Scotia.

As many of you make plans to travel home for the December break, we wanted to provide you with important reminders—whether you are travelling locally or internationally—to help keep you safe.

Before departing

• Review the regulations governing travel to your destination, as travel restrictions may change. If you are travelling within Canada, please review information specific to your province or territory. If travelling outside of Canada, please check for any travel advisories for your destination. 
• Please keep in mind that some countries require specific COVID -19 testing prior to entry.
• If you are traveling internationally, visit International SOS, an online portal that provides information on safety and medical risks across 220 countries. Please use Dal membership # 27ASCA824913. We also encourage you to visit COVID-19: your safety and security outside of Canada.
• International students are also reminded that they must submit travel dates, contact information, mandatory quarantine plan, and COVID-19 symptom self-assessment to the Canada Border Services Agency via the ArriveCAN mobile app or website.
• During the weeks leading up to your departure, take extra precautions when socializing, follow public health rules about gathering limits, and avoid known areas of potential COVID-19 exposure to minimize your risk of infection.
• Continue to be diligent regarding wearing a non-medical mask and follow the social distancing directives from Public Health.
• Wash your hands often, especially before and after entering a public place.

Day of travel

• Reduce the number of stops on the trip, whether it’s during the drive from your place of residence to the airport, or public places along the route during a trip by car.
• Delay your travel if you are sick, have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone who has been recently diagnosed.
• Take safety precautions during travel: wear face masks, stay 2 metres (6 feet) apart from others as much as possible, sit as far away from other passengers as possible, carry and use hand sanitizer, wipe any touchable surfaces with sanitizing wipes.
• Confirm any requirements or restrictions at your travel destination.
• The least risky option is private transportation by yourself or with your family members.
• Wash your hands often, especially before and after entering a public place.

Arrival at home

• The most cautious approach upon arriving home is to self-isolate/quarantine for the first 14 days. COVID-19 can take up to 14 days to cause symptoms and some people who get it only have minor symptom, or don't have any symptoms at all, but could still be infectious to others. 
• If self-isolation is not possible, stay physically distant from family household members, wear a face covering when around others, and avoid close contact (including hugging and shaking hands) for the first 14 days home.
• Please be considerate. There are more vulnerable populations who are at risk of more severe outcomes.

Self-isolation/quarantine upon return to Nova Scotia

• A 14-day quarantine/self-isolation period is required for anyone entering Nova Scotia from outside the Atlantic provinces. (Please monitor the NS COVID website for any changes.)
• You must quarantine/self-isolate either by yourself, or with others who are also quarantining/self-isolating for the same time period.
• Students must complete the Nova Scotia Safe Check-In form prior to travel and show their confirmation email upon entry to the province. 
• After arriving in NS, students must also complete a daily Nova Scotia Safe Check-In via email. 
• International students are required to confirm within 48 hours through the ArriveCAN app/website or by calling 1-833-641-0343 that they have arrived at their Dalhousie-approved mandatory quarantine hotel.
• Please review the updated requirements for arriving/returning to Nova Scotia.
• International students are advised to contact the International Centre before making any travel arrangements to/from Nova Scotia.

Travel within Nova Scotia

• Nova Scotians are currently being asked to avoid non-essential travel in and out of western and central Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and to other Atlantic provinces. 
• If you live in Nova Scotia, but outside of HRM, please avoid non-essential travel to Halifax. For shopping, please consider supporting local businesses.
• If you are living in HRM please follow standard COVID-19 safety measures while shopping in public spacesand wherever possible, shop online or use curbside pickup to reduce your risk of exposure.

While we recognize the vast majority of our students are following Public Health directives, we wanted to remind students that there can be severe consequences for not doing your part in keeping our community safe. This includes being accountable for your choices both on and off campus. In addition to significant fines issued by our local police authority, our Code of Student Conduct will be used to the fullest extent possible to address deliberate disregard of Public Health directives.

Thank you for continuing to do your part in keeping our community safe.

Sincerely,

Verity Turpin
Vice Provost, Student Affairs (Acting)

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

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