The University of Windsor is reminding its campus community to restrict social gatherings and strictly adhere to COVID-19 prevention protocols following additional information it received today from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

The WECHU has advised that an unauthorized Halloween gathering of students is currently being investigated and emphasizes the importance of students following health unit and student residence regulations around social gatherings. The University is working closely with the WECHU on this matter and will provide more information as it becomes available.

Additionally, the University has learned from Windsor Regional Hospital that four Faculty of Nursing students who were completing clinical placements have tested positive for COVID-19. The hospital has confirmed that the students did not contract the virus from within the hospital setting. The University is working closely with the hospital, which will issue its own media release.

“This is a strong reminder to our student community that we cannot become complacent with our protocols and guidelines during this pandemic,” said University of Windsor president Rob Gordon. “There is simply too much at stake and we need to be stringent now more than ever.

“We all need to be responsible and consider how our behaviour today may affect our friends, family, and members of the larger community tomorrow.”

The University of Windsor is currently following a remote learning model with most classes being held online this semester. Students, staff, and faculty are reminded to practice good hygiene; wear a mask; keep 2m from others when possible; and complete a self-assessment questionnaire prior to attending campus, available at: www.uwindsor.ca/returntocampus/336/before-going-to-campus.

Updates will be provided at: www.uwindsor.ca/returntocampus.

The University’s response to confirmed cases of COVID-19 can be found here: https://www.uwindsor.ca/returntocampus/354/confirmed-case-covid-19-campus.