Advanced Education Update April 7
Hello
To protect the health system and reduce the rising spread of COVID-19, Government announced on April 7th that Alberta is moving back to Step 1 with additional restrictions for dine-in restaurants. In conversation with Alberta Health and based on the latest health order, Advanced Education has determined the following impacts to the post-secondary education system. If you have further questions of clarification you can respond to this email.
Libraries
- PSI Libraries must close to public access at this time, but can continue to operate to provide curbside pick-up and drop-off. Library staff can continue to access to library to maintain library operations and broadcast virtual programs, but must maintain 2 metres’ distance from all other attendees and mask unless they are in a private workspace separated by at least 2 metres from everyone else.
Sports and Performance
- The current restrictions do not apply to sport and performance activities that are a part of a program of study. Students and instructors can participate in indoor group physical or performance activity if it is part of their post-secondary program of study and so long as participation in the activity is limited to the students undertaking of the program of study. Guidance for post-secondary in-person programs still needs to be followed.
- Limited group physical activity is still permitted for people who participate in collegiate or university athletic programs with safety requirements in place.
- Groups of up to 10 athletes can take part in sport and physical activity lessons, practices and physical conditioning activities indoors (with 3 metres’ physical distancing between participants and groups) and outdoors (with 2 metre physical distancing).
- Each group must have at least one coach or instructor who is counted towards the 10-person limit.
- More than one group of up to 10 can practice or play in the same space at the same time as long as there is enough room for physical distancing between groups and individuals.
- Athletes do not have to mask while engaged in the activity but must mask at all
- Games and competitions are not allowed.
- Audiences are not allowed in indoor settings, and are limited to no more than 10 individuals in outdoor settings, with 2 metre physical distancing between households.
- Performance activities that are not part of a program of study at a post-secondary institution are only allowed in a one-on-one training format with a student and a certified/paid instructor or coach; or, for students 18 and under, performance activities can be done in groups of up to 10 with 3 metres’ distancing indoors, and 2 metres’ outdoors.
- For performances, there is still no audiences allowed during these types of activities.
Restaurants and Indoor Eating Spaces on Campus
- Effective April 9th , in-person dining services is not permitted indoors. Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes can open for outdoor patio dining, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery only.
- Please see health measures for restrictions to outdoor patio dining.
- In-door eating spaces on campuses, such as a dining halls and food courts, must close at this time. Restaurants, cafeterias, and dining halls can offer outdoor patio dining, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery only. Students should be encouraged to take their food away and must be discouraged from gathering in any indoor public areas in order to eat because of the prohibition on indoor social gatherings and risks of having groups of people unmask in enclosed areas.
Indoor Fitness
- The only fitness activities allowed at this time in indoor facilities are one-on-one or one-on-household fitness training, and group fitness activities involving up to 10 youth (people who are 18 and under). Please see the latest Health Order if your campus hosts any youth fitness activities.
- This is a change from Step 2 where low impact fitness activity was allowed without a trainer.
- Participants in allowed fitness activities must stay 3 metres’ apart at all times when indoors, and 2 metres’ apart outdoors.
- Permitted fitness activities can occur in any facility on campus as long as there is room for physical distancing.
- All indoor fitness must be scheduled or by appointment – no drop-ins allowed.
Retail Spaces on Campus
- Retail services must limit customer capacity to 15% of fire code occupancy (not including staff) or a minimum of 5 customers. This includes individual stores and buildings that house multiple businesses and services.
- Curbside pick up, delivery and online services are encouraged
The best source of information for current updates to public health measures and vaccine roll-out is the following Alberta Government websites:
- Public Health Measures: https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx and;
- Guidance documents for all sectors: https://www.alberta.ca/guidance-documents.aspx
- Vaccine Roll-out Program: https://www.alberta.ca/covid19-vaccine.aspx
This email has been sent to your post-secondary administration, and faculty and student associations.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact Advanced Education at [email protected]. We will continue to keep you informed of any additional information relevant to your campuses as it becomes available.