If you have been on campus lately, you may have noticed some faculty and staff donning Dal-branded face masks. The university is providing these non-medical masks to help protect employees’ health, and those around them, while showing some Dal pride.
Dalhousie’s front-line workers, who have been working on campus since the COVID-19 pandemic began, were each provided two masks in early September — 3,700 masks in total. The plan is to distribute masks to all faculty and staff in a phased approach, with a focus now on those returning to campus this fall.
The masks were made by Take it Outside, a subsidiary of Stanfield’s, located in Truro, Nova Scotia. The masks are cotton, wrap around the head rather around than the ears, and adhere to health and safety standards. Dal’s Creative Services team designed the logo and worked with Take it Outside to produce the masks.
“We’re so pleased to work with a local company that could meet our needs for high-quality, non-medical masks within a tight timeline,” says Orla McDevitt, director, Accessible Employment, a new unit within the Human Resources department that focuses on ensuring employment at Dal is accessible to all, and who worked with Procurement and the Environmental Health and Safety Office to supply and distribute the masks.
“The feedback from employees has been extremely positive, and many have commented that these masks are the most comfortable that they have worn.”
Supporting the on-campus community
All staff and faculty who will be working on campus this fall will receive two masks, which are in the process of being distributed through the department and faculty leaders. If you have not received a mask and require one, please contact Ivonne Paez or Justin Snow in Accessible Employment at accessible.employment@dal.ca. As part of the student orientation package, approximately 1,500 masks were given to students by the Office of Student Affairs.
Public Health guidelines introduced in Nova Scotia on July 31 include the requirement of wearing non-medical face masks in most indoor public spaces, including common areas of buildings such as elevators, hallways, reception areas and common areas on university campuses like the libraries and student union building.
“The use of non-medical face masks can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 when properly worn, removed and washed,” says Jerry Aguinaga, executive director, Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHS). “However, it is important to remind our community members that frequent hand washing and physical distancing, in combination with the use of these face masks, is vital to protect us and those around us.”
COVID-19 guidelines provided by the Environmental Health and Safety Office, including the proper usage of masks, is available on the new Return to Campus internal website, which is accessible to all faculty, staff and students.
There are also Dal-branded masks available to purchase in the University Bookstore. They are sourced from a company Bselfless, with unused fabric from the fashion industry.
For more information and updates about Dalhousie’s response to the pandemic, and the return to campus protocols, visit dal.ca/coronavirus.