MEMORANDUM  

To:                   Dalhousie students, faculty and staff  

From:              Emily Huner, Assistant Vice-Provost (Acting), Student Affairs

Date:               Saturday, December 11, 2021  

Re:                  COVID-19: Eight presumtive cases identified

Earlier today, Dalhousie learned of six members of our residence community in Halifax who received positive COVID-19 test results through rapid testing. These individuals — five in Howe Hall, and one in Risley Hall — have been instructed to undertake PCR (lab) testing and are now in self-isolation as per our approved COVID-19 residence support plan. We are also aware of two off-campus student cases that have been reported to the university. We thank these students for taking immediate action.

Nova Scotia Public Health has been engaged and, pending the PCR test results, will work with the university to identify close contacts and potential precaution and/or exposure notifications. The Registrar’s Office has confirmed none of these eight students attended any in-person exams.

We will share more information with our university community as soon as we are able to. For now, here is what we need people to know.

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS

• We are engaging directly with all residence students in both Halifax and Truro and all residents are being asked to complete rapid tests today and tomorrow. Test supplies are being delivered directly to residence building lobbies. Any residents who test positive will be required to contact residence staff, self-isolate and complete a PCR test.

• The suspension of guest privileges in residence has now been extended to also include guests from other residences. Residents have been asked to limit or eliminate social contact and stick only to their designated dining hall.

• Exams are continuing, following all safety protocols (including masking). Any resident who tests positive (rapid or PCR) is NOT to attend in-person exams. Students who show any symptoms of COVID should also not attend in-person exams. Information is being provided to residence students on how to request an alternate final exam through the appropriate channels if required.

• We will await further instruction from Public Health as to whether additional quarantine/self-isolation or testing measures will be required.

• As always, but particularly considering this news, we encourage everyone to take advantage of asymptomatic rapid testing. On the weekend, take-away rapid tests are available at the Student Union Building, Killam Library and Kellogg Library. More information here. Rapid testing is also available in the community at the Halifax Convention Centre and St. Margaret’s Centre (Tantallon) today and tomorrow. Details here.

• Finally, please review the list of precaution and exposure notifications in the community. There have been many new locations added over the past few days and, yesterday, the province updated its guidance to require individuals to self-isolate if they are at an exposure (close contact) site even if they are fully vaccinated.

While we know this news is concerning, our Residence and Student Affairs teams are prepared for this and are here to support our students and our broader community.

Contact information:

• Student concerns: Residence students who have questions should contact Residence Life (Halifax 902-220-9038 / Truro 902-956-0750) or contact Carolyn Bartlett, RN for Public Health-related concerns at Carolyn.Bartlett@dal.ca.
• Employee concerns: Employees are encouraged to speak with their manager/supervisor or contact Accessible Employment in Human Resources (Accessible.Employment@dal.ca) with any questions or concerns.  
• 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.
  

Sincerely,  

Emily Huner
Assistant Vice-Provost (Acting), Student Affairs

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.