Support Services

The school does not tolerate any form of harassment, violence, stigmatism, or racism directed by teachers towards students or staff and vice-versa.  This extends to any situations surrounding COVID-19.  Please report any incidents to our office so that we can help you.  Any misconduct will be investigated thoroughly and dealt with expeditiously.

Heartland will demonstrate flexibility for personal circumstances, including flexible attendance and sick-leave policies and ensure that students, and staff members are aware of financial and other support programs available to those with financial instability related to COVID-19 (e.g., for those who are not able to work due to illness/exposure, isolation/self-isolation, or loss of job/income).  Staff and students experiencing financial hardship, are encouraged to contact the school to discuss options.  Information on Government of Canada assistance is available at Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan (https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html).

 

Resources related to stigma and anti-racism:

• WHO:  https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/covid19-stigma-guide.pdf
• Public Health Agency of Canada:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/covid-19-testing-reducing-stigma.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/corporate/publications/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/addressing-stigma-toward-more-inclusive-health-system.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/corporate/organizational-structure/canada-chief-public-health-officer/addressing-stigma.html

• Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety:

https://www.ccohs.ca/images/products/pandemiccovid19/pdf/preventing_stigma.pdf

Health System Capacity for Outbreak Response

Manitoba Public Health officials are responsible for overall public health outbreak responses and case management in Manitoba.  The Manitoba government has implemented a new pandemic response tool that uses the colours green, yellow, orange and red. At each level, public health officials have a range of restrictions that could be imposed on different sectors, including at post-secondary institutions.

The province will update the provincial response level in response to the spread of the virus and other public health indicators. Information on Manitoba’s Pandemic Response System is available at https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/system/index.html

Manitoba Public Health also noted that the health system capacity and readiness for outbreak response would depend on the number of international students that coming to Manitoba and current cases.

Case Management and Outbreak Response

To help prepare students and staff about what to do if a case of COVID-19 is identified on a school premises, Heartland has developed the following rapid response measures:

• If a community member (student/staff/faculty) becomes symptomatic:
  • They should seek medical advice and information about COVID-19 testing.
  • They must complete the self-screening tool from Shared Health and / or call Health Links-Info Santé in Winnipeg at 204-788-8667, toll-free elsewhere in Manitoba at 1-888-315-9257.
  • If individuals are experiencing severe symptoms or difficulty breathing, they should call 911.
  • Based on test results, local public health officials will advise the individual what actions should be taken. For example, if COVID-19 test results are negative, they may be advised to self-isolate for 14 days, or until symptoms have resolved for 24 hours.
  • When a case of COVID-19 is confirmed, local public health officials will lead the response.
  • The local public health authority will advise the institution if a confirmed case of COVID-19 was present on campus during the person in question’s infectious period, and assess the need for the institution or part of the institution to be closed for a period of time, and provide any other further direction.
  • Local public health authorities will identify close contacts of a positive case and contact those individuals who may have been exposed.
  • Institutions may be advised to close off areas used by the infected person and not use these areas until after cleaning and disinfecting is completed.
  • If there was no significant exposure on campus, the institution will not be notified.