COVID-19 Response

Throughout the pandemic, the Colleges have been committed to continuing our work as a vibrant centre of intellectual life while ensuring the safety of our students, faculty, staff and community. We are following all public health guidelines for post-secondary institutions. We at Corpus Christi College and St. Mark's College are grateful for the openness, compassion and strength we have seen as we navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic while striving to maintain a high level of education and sense of community.

If you have any questions at any time, please email or call our Welcome Centre – Information Desk at [email protected] or by calling 604-822-6862 Ext. 111.

Managing COVID-19 cases and potential exposures

As COVID-19 becomes common in our communities, Public Health has changed its pandemic response, shifting to an approach of self-management and outbreak response. This is because case management and contact tracing is better for diseases with longer incubation periods and limited community spread, such as measles or earlier variants of COVID-19.

Between our community and UBC, with over 80,000 students, faculty and staff, it is very likely that positive COVID-19 cases and small clusters of cases will occur. We can minimize cases by continuing to remind people of the public health orders in place and our campus rules, and by reinforcing the importance of vaccination, staying home when feeling sick, and conducting daily health self-assessments.

Public Health will continue to work closely with schools to manage possible outbreaks. Individual cases not related to a local outbreak will be self-managed. This means individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 will be responsible for notifying close contacts, unless informed otherwise by Public Health.

Whether notified of a COVID-19 exposure or not, everyone should routinely monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if they feel unwell or develop symptoms.

For the majority of the Corpus Christi-St. Mark’s community, individuals will be responsible for notifying their close contacts, using the criteria listed on the BC CDC website. At this stage in the pandemic, close contacts are not required to self-isolate or take any special measures. Protocols change over time-please ensure you are checking the BC CDC website for up-to-date information.

Based on the BC CDC criteria, the majority of in-person classroom and learning settings are not considered close-contact environments.

If Corpus Christi-St. Mark’s is asked by public health authorities to assist in notifying our community members of a confirmed case, we will do so by assisting in the distribution of materials prepared by those public health authorities. Only those identified through contact tracing as “needing to know” will have access to this information.

Response to COVID-19 reports

Do I need to contact anyone if a student, faculty or staff voluntarily discloses they have COVID-19, or have been instructed to self-isolate by Public Health?

Student Disclosure

If a student informs you that they have been confirmed to have COVID-19, these are the steps that you should take:
      -Inform Dean of Students, Gabriel Pillay ([email protected]) of the case(s). Provide details including the date, time and location the student was on campus.
      -Ensure that the student(s) are provided with concessions and support as required to continue learning whilst unable to attend class.
      -Follow all instructions from Public Health, if directed by them (in most cases, you will not be contacted because Public Health has made all necessary notifications directly).

Some faculty have expressed concern that they have an obligation to inform others of news that there may have been an exposure, irrespective of Public Health’s management of the situation. In this situation, these are steps that can be taken:
      -If there is a need to provide general information to the class and if the student has given permission to do so, refer the matter to the Dean of Students to provide any general information that may be appropriate.
      -Please contact the COVID-19 Committee for more information and guidance.

Faculty or Staff Disclosure

If a faculty or staff member informs you that they have been confirmed to have COVID-19, these are the steps that you should take:
      -Inform Human Resources Office immediately. 
      -Ensure Faculty and Staff member(s) are provided with support as required.
      -Follow all instructions from Public Health, if directed by them

Current guidance is to stay home if you are symptomatic and use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to determine next steps.