Additional individuals associated with University of Calgary test positive for COVID-19, only those required to be on site should be on campus

To all members of the University of Calgary community:

Today the University of Calgary was made aware that an individual associated with the Haskayne School of Business and an individual on our Spy Hill campus have tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus).

These cases, in conjunction with the cases announced yesterday, trigger increased preventive measures. Effective Sunday, March 22, all faculty and staff who can perform their work from home should do so, until further notice. Only those that are performing functions that require them to be on site should work on campus. Faculty and staff who will be working from home but need to come to campus to retrieve things from their office should do so on Monday, March 23. We want to ensure not everybody comes to campus at once and there is enough room for social distancing, so please co-ordinate any trip to campus with your supervisor.

Please contact your supervisor if you can’t or don’t want to work from home.

Additionally, the Taylor Family Digital Library and vendors on campus, including vendors in MacEwan Student Centre and Yamnuska Hall, are being directed to close effective Sunday, March 22. The Landing will remain open for students in residence.

Finally, we are encouraging all students in residence that have the ability to go home to do so no later than next Sunday. We understand this will not be an option for everybody and we will continue to accommodate any students that cannot go home, including international students. We will be working with students in the coming days to begin transitioning all students who remain in residence to buildings without shared bathroom facilities. More details on this plan will be coming shortly.

The affected individual from Haskayne was exposed to the university campus from March 11 to 13. The individual at the Spy Hill campus was last on-site March 10. Both individuals are now in self-isolation and, as per standard practice for all cases of COVID-19, AHS has directly contacted any individual considered exposed to these cases.

As I said yesterday, we are entering a new stage in our fight against COVID-19. We can expect the number of cases that touch our institution and other areas of our lives to rise in the weeks to come.

You may be concerned about different rooms and different buildings, and your exposure to them. The reality is, whether at the university or elsewhere in our city, we must all work under the assumption that there is risk of contracting COVID-19 if we do not safeguard our health.

You should not unduly fear a building that has had a positive case. But neither should you take false comfort in a building that has not had one. Take sensible precautions: Practice social distancing. Wash your hands regularly. Avoiding touching your face. It is also vitally important that we self-isolate if we are feeling ill. Do not assume it is “just a cold.” If you have traveled outside of Canada, you must be in self-isolation. Take aggressive action to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Please be healthy. Thank you for your continued patience and support. We will continue to provide updates as this situation unfolds.

Sincerely,

Ed McCauley
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Calgary

UCalgary resources on COVID-19

For the most up-to-date information about the University of Calgary's response to the spread of COVID-19, visit the UCalgary COVID-19 Response website.