We will commit to providing an update every two weeks or sooner as new information becomes available. On Monday March 29th for example, we updated the CNC community about new provincial health orders from Dr. Bonnie Henry.
What we must do, and what will guide us in making decisions
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has advised post-secondary institutions to prepare for face-to-face instruction by this fall. Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training Anne Kang said this will take place with all appropriate measures to keep people safe. CNC continues to prepare for the return to face-to-face instruction. We will work within the organization, with partners in health care, the unions and many others for a safe return.
What has happened in the past two weeks
On Monday March 29th, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry brought forward a “circuit breaker” of new health orders to address a recent surge in COVID-19 case counts. With respect to the impacts of those orders on CNC:
Dr. Henry recommended working from home whenever possible unless it is essential to be in the workplace. For those working on campus, safety plans remain in place to protect employees and students. With their manager’s approval, employees may work from home if their position allows; and
Dr. Henry also discouraged travel unless for essential work or medical reasons. CNC has already limited travel for staff except for business-critical reasons. We have shared these travel alerts to students and the public via our social media channels.
What we are doing now
Tyson von den Steinen, CNC’s director of safety and security, continues to participate as a member of a provincial steering committee. As the province’s go-forward guidelines are updated, Tyson and his staff will work with you to apply them here at CNC. This will likely involve updates to CNC’s COVID-19 Safety Plan as well as several operational safety plans that have been in effect since last year.
We are finalizing a budget submission for the upcoming fiscal year. This will include spending proposals for COVID-related costs that the college continues to bear.
What you can expect to hear next, and how you can help
The BC government recently opened registration for the COVID-19 vaccine. We encourage CNC employees to speak with their primary care provider and seek trusted sources of information about specific
interventions and their personal health.
You can register online at getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca or by phone at 1-833-838-2323. We must continue following all safety measures even after being vaccinated.
CNC leaders are aware of the rise in anti- Asian racist behavior as well as criticism in the community at large about early COVID-19 immunization for Indigenous peoples. The BC Government’s immunization roll-out plan includes Indigenous peoples and communities in the first two phases of the plan.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) provided guidance on key populations for vaccination. Indigenous communities were identified as a key population as they included “those whose living or working conditions put them at elevated risk of infection and where infection could have disproportionate consequences”.
Premier Horgan also spoke out on the rise in racist behaviours and emphasized, “Everyone has a right to live without fear of violence or discrimination.” CNC strongly supports the premier’s message.
The College supports the provincial vaccination rollout plan, and the evidence informed decision making that is guiding health care in the communities we serve. We ask you to share information from reliable sources, and openly address any comments without basis in fact.
Further reading: