Mount A sees bump in COVID cases on campus
Mount Allison University says it is seeing increased cases of COVID-19 on campus, and is asking the campus community to “diligently follow” the school’s public health protocols. The school released new case counts on Tuesday reflecting 49 new cases in the past week, all self-reported from people getting positive rapid test results. That number may include some people who are currently not on campus in Sackville.
As of Tuesday morning, the school reports 33 people with active cases in the Sackville campus community. Seven of those cases are in people living off campus, and 26 are in residence.
The school has been giving weekly updates on case counts since January 18, and this is the largest jump in new cases during that time. It’s also the first time that on campus cases outnumber off campus cases. Since January 3, the school has reported a total of 174 people with positive rapid test results that they have shared with the university’s .
Despite the end of the provincial health order on Monday, Mount Allison has opted to keep certain measures in place until at least April 30, including wearing masks indoors, and asking people who test positive and their close contacts to self-isolate for at least five days. Masks are required outdoors on campus until March 14.
The school continues to distribute packages of KN95 respirators to students via the Mt A bookstore, but says that after March 14, requests for mask supply will be considered only if supply is available.… Continue
Mt A keeping health measures until April 30, fifteen active cases of COVID-19 reported on campus
Mount Allison will not be getting rid of all its COVID-19 health measures on March 14, when New Brunswick’s provincial health order is set to expire. In fact, the school announced today that it would keep most rules in place until at least April 30.
Masking rules will change slightly, with masks no longer required outdoors as of March 14, but indoor masks are still required except when seated for food and drink. And the school will continue its distribution of KN95 masks to students, staff and faculty.
Self isolation will still be required for any positive cases and close contacts, and regular testing of unvaccinated individuals will continue.
Students and staff are also still being asked to submit results of COVID-19 testing to the university for tracking purposes.
As of Tuesday, Mount Allison has 15 people with active cases of COVID-19 in its community according to results of rapid tests self-reported to the school. Four of those cases are in people living in residence, and 11 live off-campus.
Since the school last updated case numbers two weeks ago, an additional 27 new cases have been self-reported to the school, for a total of 125 cases since January 3rd. That number also includes cases from individuals who are not presently on campus or in Sackville.… Continue
A new way to report and monitor sexual violence on campus
Mount Allison has launched a new way for people to report sexual misconduct, harrassment or assault on campus.
The school announced this week a new partnership with REES, a secure, online system where people can create a record of an incident and choose from multiple reporting options, including anonymous reporting.
The move comes as part of an ongoing effort to respond to decades long concerns about sexual violence on the Mount A campus. Those concerns boiled over into a massive campus protest in November 2020, after then-student Michelle Roy posted an image of herself on social media, in graduation attire and holding a sign accusing the school of supporting rapists and silencing victims.
Since then, the university has brought in a third party organization to respond to and support survivors of sexual violence, commissioned an independent review of its practices, and hired Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator, Dr. Tasia Alexopolous. Another position will be eventually created to focus on counselling and support for survivors.
Adding REES to the mix is the latest move, and Alexopolous says its an important one, because of the various types of reporting that the system makes possible.… Continue
Friday on TR: New system to report sexual misconduct; municipal reform committee meets; storm wallops N.B.
On today’s Tantramar Report:
Mount Allison University has launched a new way for people to report sexual misconduct, harassment or assault on campus.
The move comes as part of an ongoing effort to respond to decades-long concerns about sexual violence on the Mount A campus.
In November 2020, then-student Michelle Roy posted an image of herself on social media, in graduation attire and holding a sign accusing the school of supporting rapists.
Since then, the university has brought in a third-party organization to respond to and support survivors of sexual violence, commissioned an independent review of its practices, and hired Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator, Dr. Tasia Alexopolous.
CHMA reporter Erica Butler called up Dr. Alexopolous this week to find out more about REES, and how it might impact sexual violence on campus.
Also on today’s show: Sackville town council’s municipal reform committee held its first ever-meeting this week. Erica Butler was there and brings us some highlights.
Plus more local news and information:
Tantramar Climate Change Week
The 10th annual Tantramar Climate Change Week starts on Saturday with an information booth at the Sackville Farmers’ Market.
A series of free online events organized by Eos Eco-Energy takes place throughout the week, including a climate change virtual trivia night next Friday, Feb. 11. You can find the full schedule online at eosecoenergy.com.
21 active cases at Mt A, according to self-reported stats
Mount Allison released its weekly update on Tuesday, and says there are now 21 self-reported active positive COVID cases amongst the Mount Allison University community. Nine of the cases are in students in residence, and 12 are in students, faculty, or staff living off-campus.
The university asks all of its students, staff and faculty to report positive test results to both the government of New Brunswick and the school, but does not release detailed information about cases, in order to protect privacy.
Since last week, an additional 24 new cases have been self-reported to the school, for a total of 62 cases since January 3. That number includes self-reported cases from individuals who are not presently on campus or in Sackville.
Mount Allison also announced an extension of its timeline to go back to in-person classes by one week, with a new target of Monday, February 7.
The school has asked people on campus to stop using only cloth masks, though it does approve of a combined medical mask with a cloth mask. The school will be distributing KN95 respirators to students in residence and faculty and staff that are required to work on campus, but it says it, “will not be able to provide masks for every person throughout the winter term,” and is relying on people to procure their own supply of medical masks or KN95 and N95 respirators.… Continue
Wednesday on TR: Green resilience in Tantramar; finding the right mask for Omicron
Today’s features on Tantramar Report:
Green Resilience in Tantramar
We’ve all seen how the disruption of the pandemic has reached into nearly all aspects of our lives, from how we seek entertainment to how we make our livelihoods. And we’ve seen how the upheaval has affected the most vulnerable in society the most.
The same pattern is poised to repeat itself with regard to the other global emergency we’re facing: the effects of climate change. A group of people in the Tantramar Region tried to address that topic head on recently, in a discussion about Green Resilience, addressing climate impacts and their corresponding threats to income security.
Local environmental consultant Margaret Tusz-King organized the community conversation. On today’s Tantramar Report, David Gordon Koch speaks with Tusz-King about what she heard at the Tantramar Green Resilience conversation, and also with conversation participant and new Sackville resident Saly Davis, who points out that climate anxiety can be even worse for people of colour and immigrants who are already dealing with racism and bias.
Which mask is best?
Rules and recommendations around mask use have been evolving throughout the pandemic, and the Omicron wave, with its incredible transmissibility, is bringing yet another set of changes.
Recently Mount Allison instructed its students, staff, and faculty to stop using their cloth masks, in favour of medical grade surgical masks or N95 or KN95 respirators. Education minister Dominic Cardy said that as part of the province’s return to school plan, a supply of medical-grade masks has been secured for teachers and school staff, and students are being asked to wear three-layer masks to school when they return.… Continue
Looking into how we value those who care for us
The pandemic has shown a light on issues with how we care for each other on an institutional level, forcing us to ask questions like is the care we provide to vulnerable people adequate, and up to our community standards?
A Mount A researcher and her partners in the New Brunswick Coalition of Pay Equity are now looking into the flip side of that question, focussing on the working conditions of the 10,000 to 12,000 care sector workers in New Brunswick.
Dr. Rachelle Pascoe-Deslauriers is launching her research project this Wednesday in a webinar featuring a panel discussion and keynote address talking about how people value care work here and internationally. People can register for the talks here.
Pascoe-Deslauriers and New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity director Johanne Perron spoke with Tantramar Report to explain their project and the state of care work in New Brunswick:
“In the pandemic, we’ve been hearing and talking quite a lot about issues that impact care and the quality of care that people receive, the availability of care,” says Pascoe-Deslauriers. “But I think what is not getting as much attention is some of those root causes.” Workforce concerns such as worker shortages and low wages and linked directly to what care people receive, says Pascoe-Deslauriers. “Quality of employment and quality of care I see as going hand in hand,” she says.… Continue
Under 30 booster clinic Saturday at Mt A
This Saturday, the Corner Drug Store, Mount Allison University, and New Brunswick Public Health are collaborating on a mass vaccination clinic aimed at getting booster shots to those between 18 and 29. To get an appointment, people must be double vaccinated, over 18 or about to turn 18, and under 30. They must also register with the Corner Drug Store website at thecornerdrugstore.ca
Corner Drug pharmacist/owner Charles Beaver says there’s a “large cohort of people ages 18 to 29 that qualify for a Pfizer booster that we’re having a hard time getting done through the pharmacy because of capacity limits.” People 29 and under are being given the Pfizer vaccine exclusively, due to increased risk for that age group with the Moderna vaccine.
“It has been shown that there’s a somewhat higher risk of heart inflammation in the younger population using Moderna,” says Beaver. “It’s not that we can’t give Moderna to someone under 30, but it can only be done with informed consent. And we recommend against it, unless the person has a compelling reason why they want that.”
On the flip side, that means that for people 30 and over, Moderna will be the only booster available for the time being, says Beaver. “Because there are supply interruptions with Pfizer right now, the province has told us that only Moderna will be available to people age 30 and up, for the foreseeable future.… Continue
Wednesday on TR: Dorchester’s Bill Steele talks heritage buildings and Sackville’s Wood Block
On today’s Tantramar Report:
We feature a conversation with Dorchester’s Bill Steele.
A transplant from Toronto and heritage building enthusiast, Steele bought the Dorchester Jail in 2017 and now operates it as an AirBnB. Last March, Steele took a tour of the Wood Block building on Bridge Street in Sackville, home to local restaurants, apartments, and the old Imperial Theatre. As we wait on news of a possible sale of the Wood Block, we check in with Steele to hear about his experience of the building and his thoughts on heritage properties in the Tantramar region.
Plus, more local news and information:
14 known active cases at Mount Allison, rapid test reporting explodes in province
14 people in the Mount Allison community have self-reported active cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning.
In an update published online, the university says that four of the cases are on-campus and 10 are off-campus, and that all cases are managing symptoms at home.
The university is asking anyone in the community who tests positive to report their result to the school’s vaccination and testing verification clerk, in addition to reporting it online to the government of New Brunswick.
Since January 3, 38 cases have been self-reported to Mount Allison, according to the university. Mount Allison says it will provide a weekly campus and community COVID-19 update every Tuesday.… Continue
Province issues “urgent” call for volunteers
The province of New Brunswick is calling for help.
In a release on Tuesday afternoon, health minister Dorothy Shephard issued an “urgent” call for volunteers to take on clinical and non-clinical work, in either paid or unpaid capacities.
The clinical work includes administering vaccinations and COVID-19 testing, patient services and personal support work, says the release. Non-clinical work includes clerical support, office administration, logistical support, data entry, customer service, and food preparation and delivery. The province says it will provide training and protective equipment where necessary.
Both paid and volunteer positions are available, though there’s no details on specific positions to be filled. Rather than apply to specific positions, people are being asked to fill out a form at gnb.ca, giving their availability, location, and whether volunteering for clinical or non clinical services. The province says each volunteer will be contacted but priority will be given to people who can fill areas of highest need.
Volunteers have already been utilized in the pandemic response, with many of the large-scale vaccination clinics in the spring at the Tantramar Civic Centre at least partially staffed by volunteers.
The province did not say how many volunteers are currently participating in various aspects of the pandemic response, or how many it needs to fill the gaps in services and initiatives.
The Mount Allison alumni office shared the request on Monday with its New Brunswick-based alumni, and a number of professional associations have already been spreading the word about the call for help.… Continue