July 15, 2020

IRTC UPDATE:

Public health officials advise that the current five-day test positivity rate is 0.16 per cent and no new cases of COVID-19 have been identified as of 9:30 a.m. today. The total number of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive cases in Manitoba is now 330.

The data also shows:

• no individuals are in hospital;
• five active cases and 318 individuals have recovered from COVID- 19; and
• the number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at sevem

An additional 505 tests were completed on Tuesday bringing the total number of tests performed since early February to 72,308. WestJet flight information related to Tuesday’s positive COVID- 19 case is updated and available at manitoba.ca/covid19/flights.html.

The Manitoba government will extend the province wide state of emergency under The Emergency Measures Act to continue to protect the health and safety of all Manitobans and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

 The extension takes effect at 4 p.m. , Tuesday, July 14 for a period of 30 days.

IRTC in-office essential services schedule:

All IRTC Staff are available continuously via email and cell phone should you need to contact them.

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If you are using gloves or masks, please discard these items accordingly.

Do I need to wear a mask?

Medical masks can protect people wearing the mask from getting infected, as well as can prevent those who have symptoms from spreading them. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the following groups use medical masks:

• Health workers
• Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, including people with mild symptoms
• People caring for suspect or confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside of health facilities
• People aged 60 or over
• People of any age with underlying health conditions

Non-medical, fabric masks – WHO does not recommend their widespread use among the public for control of COVID-19. However, for areas of widespread transmission, with limited capacity for implementing control measures and especially in settings where physical distancing of at least 1 metre is not possible – such as on public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments – WHO advises governments to encourage the general public to use non-medical fabric masks. For more information, please visit:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a- detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and-masks

 In Manitoba, starting Friday (July 10th 2020), anyone at the Brandon airport will have to bring their own mask to wear while inside the terminal, whether they are travellers or not.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brandon-airport-face-mask-mandatory-1.5642558 http://airport.brandon.ca/component/content/category/9-flights

IRTC Education Update: Course Registration Dates for September 2020

Please note that the following education institutions have stated that the majority of their programs will be offered online for the Fall 2020 term. In addition, the following dates should be adhered to when it comes to registering for your courses for the September 2020 session.

Red River College -registration begins a month before your program start date.

University of Winnipeg -registration appointment notices are sent to students mid to late June and registration will begin in July.

University of Manitoba -registration for Fall 2020 opens in Aurora on July 23 – August 11 for returning students. Registration for Fall 2020 for new students will be July 14-20. Students can start checking their registration dates starting July 10.

The Canada Student Services Grant (CSSG) is designed so that qualified Post-Secondary students and

recent graduates can pursue volunteer opportunities and earn up to possibly $1000.00 – $5000.00 based on the number of qualified hours. Below is the link for students to obtain further information and how to apply to the Canada Student Services Grant (CSSG).

https://www.iwanttohelp.org/en-CA/student/eligibility-student