By James Tubb
BELLEVILLE – Another case of COVID-19 associated with Loyalist College was confirmed on Thursday.
According to the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Unit information circulated by the college, the newest case is a low risk for transmission to the college campus community. The student was not on campus when diagnosed as being infected.
Loyalist is informing staff and students about every case that involves an individual from within the college.
Since November 19, there are a total of 10 cases of the virus associated with the school. Some students were on campus when they were infectious, but others were not. All 10 cases were deemed low risks to those on campus.
The message delivered by the health unit, in this case, and the other nine, is that anyone who is deemed to be at risk for contracting the virus or being in contact with those infected would be contacted directly by either public health or the college.
If staff or students were not contacted, they are perceived to not be at risk and can continue visiting campus as normal.
Factors that determine the decision (high or low risk of transmission) are whether masks were used and their quality, physical distancing in effect and how much time the individuals interact, and the nature of their interaction.
To streamline the increasing amount of COVID-19 updates, Loyalist is also adding graphics to their announcement to help with clarity and transparency.
This is an example of the college’s graphic now being used in its releases to staff and students. Screen capture by Loyalist College.
A town hall about the new COVID-19 restrictions at the school and provide details regarding the school’s current cases of COVID-19 was held involving staff, students, senior administration, and representatives from the health unit last Thursday.
At the meetings, Loyalist College President Anne-Marie Vaughan emphasized the need to reduce the risk of transmission. She asked anyone from a grey lockdown zone (Toronto and Peel) or a red control zone (Durham, Hamilton, Halton, Waterloo, and York) to stay home and avoid traveling to campus.
The college has yet to announce their plans for what will happen to students who return home to red or grey zones for Christmas break and whether they will be allowed to return to in-person classes in January.
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