Covid-19

 Covid from a Catholic Prespective 

Covid-19 Update for St. Peter's Seminary - October 2021

Covid-19 Update for Students from Rev. Denis Grecco - January 2021 

Covid-19 Update for Staff/Faculty/Students from Rev. Denis Grecco - January 2021

 

COVID-19 SAFETY PLAN

REVISED—18 OCTOBER 2021

Introduction

The health and safety of St. Peter’s Seminary Community is paramount, and we are committed to providing a safe environment for those who live, work and study here.  To this end, the COVID-19 Advisory Committee has been established at the direction of the Rector, and meets regularly to help identify on an on-going basis, policies and procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Seminary Community also includes co-located tenants, namely Save-A-Family-Plan and Diocese of London Canonical Services, who are both represented on the Committee.

This safety plan has been prepared by the Committee in conjunction with the guidelines/resources from Western University, King’s University College, the Ontario Ministry of Health, Public Health Ontario, the Middlesex-London Health Unit and the St. Peter’s Seminary Joint Health and Safety Committee.  The Seminary remains in contact with a health inspector who has visited the Seminary and vetted the measures which have been taken.

This safety plan applies to ALL who enter the Seminary’s main building.  We must all do our part to maintain public health and safety whether at work/study and in residence, as well as in our interactions with the wider community.

St. Peter’s Seminary, as an enclosed public space, will adhere to the requirements of institutional, government and local health officials regarding health and safety measures. 

As the COVID-19 public health situation evolves, best practices will be adapted/expanded as measures based on guidance from government and local health officials are revised.

Employees and students will receive from their Supervisors and Formation Advisors an opportunity to become familiar with this safety plan, ask questions, and will be provided with additional detailed protocols specific to their work/study environments.

Interactions Within the Seminary  Building

The Seminary’s regular business hours are 8.30 AM to 4.30 PM. 

All employees, guests, visitors and volunteers entering and exiting the Seminary building will be required to sign in and out, indicating name, department or destination and time in/out.

Before proceeding further into the building, all visitors and guests must verify their vaccination status at Reception with documentation of double vaccination and photo identification.

Guests, visitors and volunteers will be able to attend St. Peter’s Seminary by appointment only.  Face coverings will be required to be worn upon entry. Before moving beyond reception and screening, guests and visitors will be met by their hosts or contacts.

Students and seminarians will self-identify their vaccination and health status by daily registration with Western University’s PeopleSoft system.  Instructors may ask them to present proof a positive check from Western at the start of class.

All employees must be double vaccinated.  Faculty members must register their vaccination status with Western’s PeopleSoft. Staff other than faculty must provide the Seminary with proof of vaccination status. The requirement for double vaccination applies to the Seminary’s tenants and their guests as well.

All employees, guests and visitors who are feeling unwell are strongly advised to refrain from entering St. Peter’s Seminary premises.  Employees must contact their Supervisors in the event of a suspected contraction of or exposure to COVID-19.

Screening – When entering the building, screening will be conducted by/for all persons either by self-assessment and/or conducted by the employer’s designate (eg. receptionist, a visitor’s host or contact).  Clear signage at entry will direct people who enter the building regard to screening.

Screening questions may include:

• Have you travelled outside Canada within the last 14 days?
• Are you arriving from a COVID-19 high-risk place or environment within the last 14 days?
• Have you been in contact with anyone who has travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days?
• Have you had close contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case?
• Do you have any of the following symptoms:  fever, new cough and/or difficulty breathing?

An affirmative answer to any screening question may result in a person being requested to undertake further screening and/or being denied further entry into the building, for up to 14 days. 

Mandatory Practices—To minimize the spread of COVID-19, the Seminary’s mandatory practices are:

• Physical distancing/“social distancing” between people (two meters apart);

• Regular handwashing (soap and water)/hand sanitizing. Portable and wall-mounted hand sanitizing stations have been specifically placed in high traffic areas;

• The Seminary housekeeping staff will perform regular sanitization tasks as directed by management;

• A mask/face covering the nose, mouth and chin is required when in the presence of others, and in common and shared spaces where physical distancing is not possible.  Instructors who are able to teach from at least ten feet away from students may elect not be masked.

• Attention to frequent cleaning and disinfecting of public washrooms, common touch points, such as door handles and elevator buttons, will be maintained by the Facilities Department. 

What to Expect as Residents and Students at the Seminary

Screening protocols--Clear direction on sign-in/out and screening protocols will be provided at entry.

Physical/social distancing changes -- Changes to the Seminary chapels’ seating, Library access and seating, Gym use, Meeting & Class Rooms, Elevator and Dining Hall/Refectory have been implemented in order to maintain the two-meter distance, according to the government guidelines.  These measures are accompanied by signage, floor markings, sparse furniture and reduced occupancy limits. 

Face covering--Face covering is a requirement upon entering the building and when in all classrooms, hallways, stairwells, the Library and the elevator as well as in any other setting in which social distancing is a challenge.  However, the Middlesex London Health Unit’s order in this respect provides for a limited number of exceptions.  If a person believes he/she is exempt they must notify a screening designate of the Seminary (eg. receptionist, visitor’s host or contact).  If employees are medically exempt from using face coverings, such exemptions must be reported to their supervisor/department.  Inability to mask may result in changes or modifications to work assignments.

Delivery of academic programs—Most SPS classes are designated as “blended”, with instruction in person, but with the capacity for students to elect to participate through streaming if they are uncomfortable or unable to be physically present (such as being required to self-isolate). A few classes will be strictly online.  In general, instructors have been encouraged to develop assignments with materials that can be accessed online or with more limited resources, and to plan for the possibility of take-home examinations.  Should circumstances warrant, blended classes can pivot to online only format.

Protocols for face coverings in classrooms will be followed, the details of which will be communicated to students.

Outside groups—No outside groups, workshops or events will be permitted unless explicit permission is granted by the Seminary Rector, Vice-Rector or Chief Administrative Officer.

All Meetings—Locations for all meetings, including committees, will be determined by physical/social distancing requirements.  Whenever possible, meetings that can be held effectively using electronic means are strongly encouraged as substitute formats for in-person meetings. Food services will not be provided to any meetings.

Dining—Food Services staff will provide meals to residents, faculty, staff and students and in accordance with the directives of the local health unit.  Staff will dine separately from seminarians and faculty. Those who are not served by Food and Beverage Services may bring in food.   Guests for meals are on an “as required only” basis with advance notification to Food Services and/or Facilities.

A.P. Mahoney Library – Hours of operation will continue in line with the normal academic year and its operations will follow the operational guidelines of King’s University College and Western University for access to library materials. A detailed set of Library use protocols will be made available to all Library users.

Gym and sports activities– Non-contact only sports activities will be planned according to the provincial and local health guidelines, with restricted access to facilities, as well as reduced capacity in order to maintain physical distancing.

Self-Isolation and Support

All persons arriving from officially identified high risk locations who wish to enter the Seminary will be required to self-isolate for the mandatory two-week period. 

The Seminary will provide appropriate assistance to its residents (Seminarians/Priest faculty) in the event of COVID-19 exposure/contact, including support for isolation.

Employees and students who exhibit symptoms which may be associated with COVID are required self-isolate, and obtain a negative COVID test before returning to regular activities.

Employees who have been directed by the Middlesex and London Health Unit to be tested will be allowed 48 hours for tests and results without financial penalty and/or use of sick days.

If a resident or employee suspects they may have contracted COVID-19, the self assessment guide found at https://covid19checkup.ca/ will help determine the need to seek medical attention.  If you require transportation to a testing center, please contact the Middlesex and London Health Unit at (519) 663-5317.

Monitoring

Supervisors, managers and formation advisors will establish regular check-ins with their staff/students to help ensure the health and safety of the Seminary community.

Employees and students of the Seminary are encouraged to bring any workplace health and safety concerns to their supervisor, manager or formation advisor, and/or communicate their concerns to the chair of the Seminary’s Health and Safety Committee by email or letter, or by phone. 

Should it be necessary to respond to an outbreak, direction will come from the Rector or Vice-Rector.

The Advisory Committee will continue to meet as needed to monitor implementation of the Safety Plan and changes in the public health environment that might impact the Seminary and its operations.  The Chair of the Committee, Kay Weerasooriya, will ensure that updates are provided to the Rector as needed, and he welcomes questions, concerns or suggestions regarding the Safety Plan. David Howie can be reached at david.howie@spseminary.ca or by calling 519.432.1824 x 240.  

Current committee membership is:

David Howie
Fr. Denis Grecco
Ted Sinclair
Maria Serodio-Teves
Rich Elie
Bernardine Ketelaars
Marissa Thorburn
K. Weerasooriya, Chair 
Deacon Jim Panchaud