The following message was distributed to all employees on December 15 on behalf of President John Tibbits.
The emergence of a new, highly transmissible COVID-19 variant in Ontario and around the world is expected to result in a significant surge of active cases in the days and weeks ahead.
According to Public Health authorities, the best defense against COVID-19 and the new Omicron variant is to get vaccinated and continue to follow public health precautions, including masking and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces. We encourage everyone to get their 3rd dose of COVID-19 vaccination as soon as they are eligible.
Individuals are also advised to limit in-person gatherings and non-essential social contacts to help reduce levels of community transmission.
These measures are essential to keep schools and businesses open, to protect residents and to preserve our health system capacity.
At this time, plans are still in place for the return to more in-person learning and working on Conestoga campuses in January 2022. However, we recognize that the situation is evolving rapidly. We will continue to follow guidance provided by federal, provincial and regional authorities to protect the safety and well-being of our college and our community.
Further updates regarding plans for Winter 2022 will be shared as they become available. For more information, visit the COVID-19 Information Hub on the Conestoga website.