From: Claudio Stasolla
Sent: May 25, 2021 1:03 PM
To: Bev Godard <Bev.Godard@umanitoba.ca>
Cc: Justice Zhanda <Justice.Zhanda@umanitoba.ca>
Subject: URGENT NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION - Closure of the Carman Research Farm


From: Dean Agriculture <agdean@umanitoba.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2021 1:01 PM
To: Robert Currie <Rob.Currie@umanitoba.ca>; Paul Bullock <Paul.Bullock@umanitoba.ca>; Francis Zvomuya <Francis.Zvomuya@umanitoba.ca>; Joyce Slater <Joyce.Slater@umanitoba.ca>; Martin Nyachoti <Martin.Nyachoti@umanitoba.ca>; Kim Ominski <Kim.Ominski@umanitoba.ca>; Claudio Stasolla <Claudio.Stasolla@umanitoba.ca>; Doug Cattani <Doug.Cattani@umanitoba.ca>; Nazim Cicek <Nazim.Cicek@umanitoba.ca>; Derek Brewin <Derek.Brewin@umanitoba.ca>
Cc: Jason Bourcier <Jason.Bourcier@umanitoba.ca>; Justice Zhanda <Justice.Zhanda@umanitoba.ca>; Agriculture Graduate Academic <AgricultureGraduateAcademic@umanitoba.ca>; Research Agriculture <agresearch@umanitoba.ca>; Michele Rogalsky <Michele.Rogalsky@umanitoba.ca>; Dean Agriculture <agdean@umanitoba.ca>; Mya Kraft <Mya.Kraft@umanitoba.ca>; Bev Godard <Bev.Godard@umanitoba.ca>; Karen Meelker <Karen.Meelker@umanitoba.ca>; Harminder Dhanjal <H.Dhanjal@umanitoba.ca>
Subject: URGENT NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION - Re Carman Research Farm

 

Department Heads

 

Please distribute this message to all affected individuals (faculty, staff and students).

 

I have been made aware of a second positive COVID-19 case of a second individual who has attended the Ian M. Morrison Research Farm in Carman in the past week.

 

Public Health leads all investigations into positive cases and identifies close contacts. As this work isn’t complete, we do not currently have a full understanding of the number of individuals who may be considered close contacts and must isolate.

 

I am therefore making the decision that as of Tuesday May 25, 23:59, the Ian M. Morrison Research Farm at Carman will be closed until at least Sunday May 30.

 

I recognize that this will cause real hardship to researchers and to graduate students at a critical time in the agricultural research cycle, and so I do not make this decision easily.  However, the health and wellbeing of staff and students must be prioritized.

 

Anyone (faculty, staff or student) who has been at the Ian M. Morrison Research Farm at Carman since May 10 must work remotely from home until Monday May 31 and monitor assiduously for symptoms of COVID-19 (https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/coronavirus/covid19_screening_checklist.pdf).  It is important that any potential for spread of the virus is not merely shifted to a Fort Garry lab or to the Point.  Therefore, stay home and self-monitor.

 

I thank you for your understanding on this matter.

 

Martin

 

Martin Scanlon, C&G, PhD

Dean, Faculty of Agricultural & Food Sciences

University of Manitoba

Ph: 204 474-9380