COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Update #9

03 March 2022

Its been a long two years, with struggles for everyone but today we get to take the first step back towards getting back to “normal”!

With the province removing certain restrictions this week, the Ministry, Colleges and Universities sent a memo that the COVID Vaccine mandate has been revoked effective immediately.

Since Public Health has deemed this safe, Trillium College will be lifting it’s vaccine policy effective today as well. However, it remains very important to the college that our staff, faculty and students are not put at increased or unnecessary risk.

Trillium College Health & Safety Daily Operations Breakdown:

o Masks are still required in all public spaces, therefore they are still required at all Training Locations. The only time they can be removed is when an employee is alone in their office or when someone is actively eating or drinking – and only when social distancing is used.

o A person no longer has to be “fully-vaccinated” to enter a physical location at Trillium College.

o Medical Lab Assistant Students still require the vaccine to attend placement (Two shots, currently) and PSW students also require the vaccine to attend placement (two shots plus the booster for placement)

o Passive Screening is now the requirement at all workplaces. As a result, the screening app is no longer needed. However, if you feel sick stay home, even if the symptoms don’t seem to be COVID related.

o The TLs will continue to be cleaned at the high level which we have become accustomed to over the last couple of years.

o CDSW, LC, PhA and Dental Assistant students will be required to sign a waiver that states not being vaccinated may limit their chances of placement and eventually employment.

COVID-19 Update #8 (video)

10 March 2021

Please watch this video and take the test before entering any of our facilities. Thank you for your cooperation!

COVID-19 Update #7

13 July 2020

This update is to speak to the communication regarding the provincial phased plan to re-open.

At this time, post-secondary schools are not part of the re-opening plan, including Career Colleges. We will continue to complete our theory elements of the programs online, and all practical elements will be scheduled when permitted to do so. Programs that do not have a practical element will remain online for the foreseeable future.

We recognize that you may be feeling anxious about the future and would like to have timelines to follow, however, that is not a possibility at this time.

We will continue to keep everyone updated through our communication channels. Please remember that if there are no immediate communications it is because there have been no changes to any of our plans and there is nothing to share. We appreciate your continued patience and professionalism as we wait for more government approvals.

COVID-19 Update #6

29 May 2020

Trillium College is committed to ensuring the highest level of safety for our Trillium College Community.

This update is to speak to the communication regarding the province’s allowance for Regulated Health Professions to begin to return to practice.

Regulatory colleges that govern the 26 regulated health professions are now beginning to share return-to-work guidelines and best practices. Trillium College will adopt any of the relevant elements to include them in our return to the classroom plan. Trillium’s plan will include direction from Public Health Ontario, The Chief Medical Officer, the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. These will all have a significant impact on how Trillium will establish the return to campus, classroom, and the reinstatement of all student massage, dental assisting, and esthetics clinics.

At this point, the provincial green light for these professions to resume practice is only for licensed professionals. The campuses remain closed to the public, and clinics are not operating.

Unfortunately, we can not predict the unknown or future timelines. However, when it is deemed safe, our goal is to re-open campuses so that students can get back in the classroom and resume their routines.

We will continue to keep everyone updated through our communication channels.

COVID-19 Update #5 (video)

19 March 2020

COVID-19 Update #5

18 March 2020

Trillium College is committed to ensuring the utmost level of health and safety of our students and staff.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have done our very best to make everyone aware of our actions via social media we have been taking every measure possible to make decisions that will allow us to continue with a high level of education for our students; as a result, we are now fully functioning online while our campuses and closed to the public. We want to respect the urgent need for social distancing that has been mandated by all levels of government in the province.

Since the onset of our communication updates, there have been various types of questions as well as opinions and comments on our social media channels; we understand that many people in the Trillium College Community, as well as the general public, are looking for more answers about what the future will hold. Unfortunately, we can not predict the unknown or future timelines, but when it is deemed safe, our goal is to re-open campuses so that students can get back in the classroom and resume their routines.

With a student and staff population of over 1,000 people, along with 1000 moving parts, regulations, and rules to follow, everyone needs to know that we have mindfully taken the time required to devise responsible and measured plans that best support students, all of our employees as well as the public.

If you still have questions, the best and most appropriate way to gain clarification is 1 on 1; please reach out to your campus director directly. Everyone’s situation and concerns have their own different unique element to it and this is truly the best way for questions to be addressed. We would like to encourage everyone, instead of asking questions through comment channels on various social media platforms to please pick up the phone and call us directly. Call 1.855.234.2008 and press the campus extension where you attend.

We will continue to keep everyone updated on a mass scale through our communication channels, but only when there is something to share. That means being patient; reasonable decisions are never made quickly or without thought and planning.

This is a time like no other, and we are all in this together. Trust that we review the situation multiple times daily and if changes to any plans are required in order to adapt to the fluidity of the situation, we will do so.

Thank you

COVID-19 Update #4

15 March 2020

The single highest priority for the Trillium College Community Members will always be the health and safety of its students, faculty, and staff.

As of yet, no cases of Coronavirus have been identified within the Trillium College Community.

Academic integrity and continuity also remain a priority. Our goal is to ensure that students can complete all courses in which they are currently registered, and receive their evaluations and credits without any interruption.

In light of urgent recommendations by public health officials that ‘social distancing’ is the most effective means of protecting students, staff, and faculty members from infection, the College is announcing tonight that:

Classes on Monday, March 16, 2020 for EXISTING, ACTIVE students are CANCELLED for the day.
Please log in to TC Learn for instruction on how to carry on with your education moving forward.
- Students will be contacted through digital channels with specific arrangements as to how each course will be completed.
All students that are scheduled for their first day of class tomorrow, March 16, 2020 should come as planned in order to ensure you are able to move forward online Tuesday.
- You will receive instruction on how to get started with online learning, and
  finalize funding appointments.
Students currently on placements should continue their activities without alteration unless otherwise notified.
- The majority of placement students are in health care programs; continuing placement is of the utmost importance, especially now.
All campuses remain open.
For the time being, all administrative staff should report to the campus as usual and continue to perform their regular tasks and roles.
- Faculty – please arrive at 11:30am for a mandatory meeting. Please bring a laptop, tablet, and/or smartphone with you.
Please understand that the health and safety of our employees is paramount, and the College is considering various factors; more information will be provided to staff in the days to come.
As indicated by the public health advisory of Canada, non-essential travel is to be avoided; staff and faculty travel is strongly discouraged.
Campuses are no longer offering the drop in camps for children to align with social distancing protocol.

The College will continue to provide ongoing updates via our social media feeds. This will include updates to academic programs, travel information and precautions you can take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Please keep in mind that self-hygiene is key to mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

These unprecedented measures will be disruptive. We trust, however, that all members of our community will understand that they are necessary and are being implemented for the benefit of all.

We wish to thank each of you for your valuable understanding and cooperation in these extraordinary times, especially our employees, who are working diligently to ensure our operations continue to run efficiently as this complex situation unfolds.

We are confident that by remaining resilient and by continuing to support one another that we will be able to meet and overcome the challenges ahead.

COVID-19 Update #3

13 March 2020

To protect the Trillium College Community Members, and to assist with the provincial efforts of stemming the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the following measures will be implemented effective Monday March 15, 2020. Because this situation is fluid, dates and plans may be adjusted accordingly. Please continue to check TC Learn and social media for any additional updates moving forward.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS

Any person displaying/ showing /thinks or feels they have the symptoms of COVID-19 outlined in the policy document should self quarantine for 14 days. If symptoms worsen, contact Telehealth for guidance.

Students are require to create an academic action plan, and it must be on file at the campus to keep their academic status and standing.

CLINICS, OUTREACHES, PLACEMENTS

Effective March 15, 2020 all clinics and outreaches are cancelled through April 6, 2020.

Once the situation has stabilized, these outreaches/clinics will be rescheduled; completion of them is a graduation component and will be require.
Student placements will continue as scheduled and will be managed on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with Trillium College and the community partner.

TRAVEL

Any person entering a campus that is returning from a location listed on the active travel health notice is required to disclose and to follow the government implemented self-quarantine for 14 days. This includes all members of the Trillium College Community (employees, students, public, and community partners).

If you have travelled outside of Canada at all, it is important to monitor your health upon return, you may have come in contact with COVID-19. If you experience any symptoms call the public health authority for advice.

Students returning from travel from locations on the active travel health notice will also be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return.
They will need to communicate with their instructor and the Academic Coordinator to create an academic action plan keep their academic status and standing.

CAMPUS CLEANING

Measures have been implemented to include additional disinfection of high touch surfaces such as door handles, desks etc.

DROP-IN CAMP

Each campus is working toward implementing a drop-in camp for school-aged children (4 years and up), in an effort to assist our students with child care given the province wide elementary school shut down.

There will be a sign up sheet at the front desk; we ask that students sign up in order to understand demand. Details on this to follow.

THINGS TO CONSIDER AND REMEMBER

As of March 13 th at 9am, there are 60 confirmed cases in Ontario. The population of Ontario is 14.57 million; there are 152 confirmed cases in Canada. The population of Canada is 37.59 million. Any of the measures outlined in this document are recommendations as given by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Public Health Ontario, they are to be considered preventative. They are being implemented to limit the transmission of the virus. Washing your hands and not touching your face are still the best way to protect yourself and your family.

If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 please refer to the Public Health website. If you have any questions regarding any information contained in this memo, please discuss with your Campus Director.

COVID-19 Update #2

13 March 2020

To our Trillium College Community Members:

In light of the recent announcement of the public school closures we would like everyone to know that all of our classes will be running as usual March 13, 2020.

We will provide an update again soon regarding next steps in relation to COVID-19, and how it may or may not impact our campus operations moving forward.

Thank you for your patience as we work through this along with the rest of the province.

-Trillium College

COVID-19 Update #1

12 March 2020

With growing global concerns around COVID-19, there have been a couple of questions about what we are doing. Trillium College will act in accordance with federal, provincial and municipal direction when it comes to managing the spread of the virus, with the health and safety of the Trillium College Community Members as a priority.

We are sure you know that most effective things that you can do to lessen your risk is to wash your hands often, manage your coughs and sneezes and maintain a distance from others if you are concerned. We are not going to repeat the details of these and other measures, they are readily available from many appropriate sources.

What we do want to communicate, however, as a reminder that we are, and have been for some time, ensuring that the campuses are well cleaned and that high-touch surfaces are being disinfected regularly.

There are sinks with soap dispensers in all of the washrooms and most authorities suggest that washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the most effective approach to preventing infection and spread, as well as not touching your face with unclean hands.