Halifax, NS –
A COVID-19 outbreak at St. Francis Xavier University in northeastern Nova Scotia has caused 21 people to test positive for the virus so far, health officials said Wednesday.
“Public health is working with the university to prevent further spread,” the province said in a press release.
Meanwhile, the Antigonish NS School Teachers Union told its members that they can choose to take upcoming exams online. “We are informing people that they have the right to go online if they do not feel safe in person,” union president Martin van Bommel said in an interview.
Van Bommel said the school’s College Teachers Association executive made the suggestion after a meeting Wednesday. “We cannot go against public health if it says it is safe to be in person,” he said. “What we are saying is that the individual has the right to refuse to work if they do not feel safe, it is their right to move online.”
The university canceled all classes on Tuesday, but said testing would begin on Thursday as scheduled.
On Wednesday night, the university said it will give students and faculty options about exams.
Tim Hynes, vice president for academics and acting chancellor, said the faculty can proceed with the exams in person, but if students are not comfortable with it, they can postpone the exam until January.
He said teachers can also move their exam online or in a take-home format. Hynes added that it will be at the discretion of each faculty member.
“The university has been in regular contact with Nova Scotia public health officials and they have assured us that a schedule of in-person examinations can be proceeded safely,” he said in a statement.
“However, we know that due to recent events, several students would not be able to attend exams in person due to isolation requirements. We are also aware that some teachers and students feel very uncomfortable participating in these exams in person. environments despite Public Health guarantees that it is safe to do so. “
University President Andy Hakin said in a statement Tuesday night that more cases were expected as health officials investigate and further tests are conducted.
“While we know that news of these new cases will cause anxiety, rest assured that university officials continue to work closely with Public Health to monitor the overall status of the outbreak,” he said.
The existence of a group was first reported Tuesday by provincial health officials, but no figures were released. Authorities reported a total of 34 new cases in the province on Wednesday, but due to the daily cutoff, only 12 of the university-related cases were included in the day’s total.
Dr. Robert Strang, medical director of health, said Tuesday that the group is related to the university ceremony on Friday handing out rings to the graduating class, as well as related social events taking place on campus. and its surroundings during the weekend.
Strang said the official events respected public health protocols that require proof of vaccination and masking when necessary, but the province is investigating off-campus events that may not have followed the rules. Prime Minister Tim Houston said Tuesday that anyone caught violating the province’s health protection measures would be fined.
The union issued a press release on Wednesday, saying it was deeply concerned by the lack of communication from the school administration surrounding the outbreak. He said the exposures could have happened not just on the weekend, but also on Monday and Tuesday before classes were suspended.
“We now have an indication that there were exhibits on campus from December 1,” Van Bommel said.
He said that over the years, the X ring ceremony has become a “great event” for the graduating class and associated family members. He estimated that at least 2,000 more people were on campus for the event, noting that there was a huge party afterward at the student union building and at various locations around the university.
Nova Scotia Health said its mobile testing unit was offering COVID-19 testing at the university’s Keating Center on Wednesday and Thursday.
The province currently has 162 active cases of the new coronavirus with 11 people hospitalized due to an infection, including four patients in intensive care.
This Canadian Press report was first published on December 8, 2021.
Reference-atlantic.ctvnews.ca