Editor's note: This article has been updated with the most recent information from Olds College.
OLDS — The positive COVID-19 case within the campus community announced on the Olds College website and its social media yesterday (Oct. 19) is a CLC Fitness Centre client.
Blayne Meek, the college’s director of corporate communications and marketing, said initially the college didn’t know precisely what campus facility was affected.
“At the time of posting the Olds College notice we had been informed of a positive case on campus,” Meek wrote in an email.
“We were later informed that the individual had worked out at the CLC Fitness Centre on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
“As a result, all members of the CLC Fitness Centre were then informed.”
On Monday night, an email was sent out to fitness centre clients informing them of the positive test.
It confirmed that the fitness centre was informed on Monday, Oct. 19 that one of its clients had tested positive for COVID-19.
“At this point, there are no other confirmed cases related to the CLC Fitness Centre and the impacted individual is self-isolating according to AHS (Alberta Health Services) guidelines,” the CLC email said.
“This client will not be permitted use of the facility until they are cleared by AHS.”
The email also said fitness centre staff had reviewed its workout rosters and confirmed that infected person had worked out there on Oct. 14.
“This is the only date affected,” the email said.
Meek said Olds College and CLC officials are working with AHS to find anyone who could have been in contact with the person so they too can self-isolate if necessary.
The CLC Fitness Centre email said the staff are “committed to our COVID-19 safety protocols, which include a heightened cleaning and sanitizing schedule as detailed on our website.”
During an interview, Meek confirmed that that cleaning schedule remains the one enacted when the facility reopened in the summer after the initial COVID-19 lockdown.
“We already had very strict cleaning procedures put in place where every hour and a half, the whole facility is completely disinfected.
“Those procedures were put in place for the reopening plan of the CLC Fitness Centre,” Meek said.
When asked it the facility is then simply continuing with its previous cleaning schedule rather than stepping it up in some way she said, “correct.”
The CLC email encouraged any of its clients who may develop COVID-19 symptoms to self-isolate at home and complete the AHS COVID-19 online assessment tool or call Health Link at 811 as soon as possible to arrange for COVID-19 testing.
“The CLC Fitness Centre appreciates our client community’s support and encouragement as we navigate through these challenging times,” the email said.
Meek was asked if it was tough for the college and CLC to have a client test positive despite all the precautions they’ve taken.
“I think the college and CLC, we put together our reopening plans knowing that eventually, you know, a case would pop up, either in our community or the campus.
“So we were trying to be as preventative as possible, but yeah, here we are, dealing with it,” she said.
“Definitely our main priority is always the safety of our clients at the CLC Fitness Centre and at the college, of our campus community – both staff and students. Safety is always top-of-mind, absolutely.”
Olds College announced yesterday that it had enacted a deep sanitization of all rooms that it says the COVID-19 positive person has had contact with.
"On October 19, 2020 the College was informed of a positive case of COVID-19 in our campus community. At this point there are no other confirmed cases related to Olds College and the impacted individual is self-isolating according to AHS guidelines," reads an Oct. 19 statement from the college posted to its website and social media.
According to the statement, the impacted individual lives off campus. No other information was provided in the post as to whether the individual was in college-only facilities or facilities operated in conjunction with the Community Learning Campus such as the CLC Fitness Centre.
Based on information provided by Alberta Health Services, Olds College officials say they can advise that "public health officials are completing a thorough interview with the individual in order to determine who was in contact with them."
The college is also providing information as requested by public health, to assist with the contact tracing process, the statement reads.
If staff or students are identified as a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, the Olds College statement says public health will contact them directly for follow up.
If staff or students have not been identified as a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case but develop symptoms as listed on the daily screening tool, the college asks that they self-isolate at home and complete the AHS COVID-19 online assessment tool or call Health Link at 811 as soon as possible to arrange for COVID-19 testing.
The college encourages the rest of the campus community to continue to practise physical distancing, regular hand washing and wearing masks while on campus.
