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The following message was sent to the McGill Community via email on Wednesday January 19th, and contains a useful set of guidelines for the January 24th Return-to-Campus:

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Dear Members of the McGill community,听

As we听transition to听more听in-person听learning activities,听some听members of our community听remain concerned听about听safety听at McGill.听The听Omicron听variant听has made us all more cautious, and听the situation in Quebec is听changing听how we听track the presence of the virus on campus.听We will continue to adapt as the pandemic evolves, as we have in the past.听听

Those of you听already on campus may have noticed new recycling bins for procedural masks.听Starting on the 17th,听procedural masks are now being recycled at McGill, thanks to the staff听in听Building Services听and听Procurement Services.听

For administrative and support staff, academic听staff and students who will be returning to campus听soon, we wanted to review our key safety measures and听how things went in the听fall.听听

Safety measures to follow听

• 听Wear your mask fully听covering your mouth and nose at all times:听听
• Instructors must now wear their mask while teaching.听听
• Staff must now wear masks even if seated two听metres听or more apart.听听
• Change your mask every four hours听or sooner if it becomes soiled or wet.听
• If your mask is not fitting tightly, you can follow recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for a better fit: wear a close-fitting cloth mask听over听your procedural mask or use the听鈥�鈥溾�濃�痬ethod鈥痮n your procedural mask.听听
• Cloth face-coverings听worn without a procedural mask underneath听are NOT permitted.听听
• A few exceptions听to mask-wearing are allowed.听
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If you have COVID symptoms or test positive, stay home听

• Before coming to campus each day, all individuals are required to complete the听self-evaluation form.听
• If you have COVID symptoms or have tested positive听you听are required to stay home and self-isolate.听听
• Short-term听accommodations are听available if you need to miss work or school听for COVID symptoms or a positive test.听Students and staff can complete the form in the personal menu of Minerva.听Specific guidance听is available听for听instructors who have to miss classes.听听
• Call McGill鈥檚 Case Management Group听at听514-398-3000 if you are self-isolating because of symptoms or a positive test AND have been on campus in the 48 hours before symptoms started.听This is very important so that we can identify and limit potential transmission.听听
• When on campus, cough or sneeze into your elbow, away from other people.听
• Follow听guidelines for distancing.听

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Ventilation in classrooms听

• Throughout the Summer and Fall semesters, ventilation in classrooms (and exam spaces)听was听optimized, and鈥�CO2 levels听were听measured鈥痠n rooms without CO2 monitors already built in.鈥�鈥疌O2 levels are a good indicator of the air exchanges per hour听and most mechanically ventilated classrooms听have automatic CO2 detectors.听Once听levels reach听800 ppm, the听detectors听automatically increase the air exchange in the room.鈥�听

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Safety in the university setting听

• Throughout the pandemic, universities听in Quebec听have been very safe,听with very few people catching the virus through on-campus activities.听听
• The INSPQ publishes鈥�鈥痮n their site. (An outbreak is听defined as听two or more cases鈥痠n a setting in a certain time frame, indicating听transmission of the virus.)鈥�鈥疘n mid-December,鈥痜or听example,鈥痺hen鈥疧micron鈥痗ases were鈥痓eginning to鈥痳ise sharply鈥痑nd testing was widely available for people鈥�(so the data听is听reliable),鈥痮utbreaks鈥痠n Quebec鈥痷niversities鈥痬ade up 0.1% of the outbreaks in all settings across Quebec.听This is based on public health data, not university data.听

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Preventing outbreaks in our community听

• In the听Fall semester, McGill鈥檚 Case Management Group鈥痙id contact tracing for every听case reported to them听directly听or that they received information on听from Montreal Public Health听where the person was on campus in the 48 hours before symptoms started.鈥�鈥�听
• In the听fall, there was no evidence that anyone caught the virus through contacts in a classroom, even though 85% of our teaching activities were in person.鈥�鈥�听
• Even鈥痑s鈥疧micron鈥痺as鈥痓eginning its rise鈥痠n听mid-December,鈥痑ny鈥痯ossible鈥痶ransmission听the Case Management Group investigated鈥痮n campus鈥痗ould be traced back to鈥痯eople having听close contact without masks.听听
• People听have caught COVID through interactions off-campus and听then have come听to the University听while they were contagious,听not knowing they were infected. But this听fall,听the contact tracing conducted听revealed听only a couple of听instances听of transmission听on campus听鈥� which shows the measures听have worked.听
• This term,听the听information听we will have to track the virus on campus will not听be听as complete as听in the fall.听The information听in the Winter听semester听will come听from calls to the Case Management Group, and requests for accommodations, without input from Montreal Public Health. The numbers will give us a sense of the trends, but not听the听absolute听number of听cases. There will be a mix of underreporting (people who do not report) and overreporting (people with COVID symptoms that may not be COVID, but who do not have access to tests).听听听

鈥�听

Omicron has created new and unwelcome challenges that we听have to听face, but we will get through it.听Before the end of the week, we will explain a bit more about the听accommodations process, both short and long-term.听听

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Sincerely,听听

Fabrice Labeau听听
Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning)听听

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