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Affected individuals self-isolating

RDC reports two COVID-19 cases

Oct 19, 2020 | 2:54 PM

Red Deer College says it has been notified that two members of its community have tested positive for COVID-19. College officials say these individuals are now in self-isolation.

The college said in a media release that these individuals last attended RDC’s main campus on Thursday, October 8, and did not display any symptoms of COVID-19 until days later.

People known to have been in close contact with the infected individuals who are ill when they last attended RDC’s campus are also self-isolating as a precaution. Others who may have been impacted by these positive COVID-19 cases at RDC will be directly contacted, officials say.

As a result of these confirmed cases, RDC says it has implemented cleaning practices and other protocols outlined in their Exposure Control Plan to contain and reduce chances of this virus spreading to others on main campus.

“I would like to extend my best wishes to the members of our College community as they begin the road to recovery in isolation. It is crucial that we support the individuals, and one another, during the challenging circumstances of the pandemic,” says Dr. Peter Nunoda, RDC President. “The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors are extremely important, and we all play a vital role in helping to combat the spread of COVID-19, both on and off campus.”

RDC implemented work-related travel restrictions for all faculty and staff in March, and the majority of Fall Term courses are being delivered online, largely reducing the number of people on campus. RDC officials say physical distancing is also strongly encouraged on campus and that face-coverings in common areas became mandatory on August 24. Some sections on campus have been closed to help mitigate traffic and enhanced cleaning protocols have continued.

Students, faculty, staff and guests who visit Red Deer College are required to complete COVID-19 Training online and fill out a daily COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Alberta Checklist, which is available using the SAFE RDC app.

“Through careful planning, our top priority is to always create a safe environment. I encourage anyone from the College community, including those who have been affected by this news, to use the available resources from RDC and Alberta Health Services as we navigate through this pandemic collaboratively,” says Nunoda.