The following message was distributed to the Conestoga community on April 1 on behalf of President John Tibbits.
The Government of Ontario today announced that a province-wide emergency brake will be imposed effective Saturday, April 3 at 12:01 a.m. as the result of surging case numbers and COVID-19 hospitalizations across the province. The shutdown is expected to be in place for at least four weeks.
Colleges will be permitted to continue delivering essential on-campus activities under strict infection prevention and control measures, including limits to class sizes. Students in programs that include on-campus labs, studios and shops will receive more details from their program areas regarding any scheduling changes resulting from the provincial shutdown.
Programs and courses that are delivered remotely will continue as scheduled.
Employees will continue to work remotely to the greatest extent possible: on-campus work will be restricted to essential activities only.
This has been a challenging year, and I would like to extend my thanks to all of you for your continued efforts to support the college, our students and our community. Many of us are experiencing COVID-19 fatigue. However, our diligence with infection prevention and control measures cannot waiver. We must all adhere to our established protocols to keep each other safe and ensure the continued viability of in-person programs and service delivery.
If you are required to be on-campus to complete essential activities, wear a mask and maintain a 2 metre physical distance for your own protection as well as the protection of others. If you cannot maintain a 2 metre physical distance, additional PPE (i.e., face shield) must be worn.
In the coming months, the COVID-19 vaccine will become more widely available. We encourage all members of our college community to get vaccinated as soon as possible. High vaccination rates and continued efforts to follow public health recommendations will offer the best protection against COVID-19, and will eventually lead us out of this pandemic.
Have a safe and restful Easter weekend.
John Tibbits, President