COVID-19

Text of "COVID-19 update" is overlain on a photo of Kelowna Trades building

Your health

Okanagan College cares about the health and wellness of students. Now more than ever, we need to support each other's well-being by fostering good physical and mental health habits.

Stay home if you are sick

If you contract COVID-19 or need to self-isolate, there are procedures and resources available for the safety of OC's community.

What to do if you are sick

Mental health and wellnesss

Help is available if you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious or even depressed as a result of pandemic-related changes.

Explore mental health resources

What to do if you feel sick

Stay home if you are sick

If you are sick, please stay home. Consult the B.C. COVID-19 self-assessment tool to determine if COVID-19 testing is needed, and contact 811 or your healthcare provider for medical advice as necessary. 

If you do test positive for COVID-19, please notify your instructor(s) and follow provincial health guidance around self-isolation and monitoring and testing.

Testing

OC students and employees are able to pick up a COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit on campus in the following locations: 

  • Kelowna - Students can pick up tests at the OCSU Pantry (Room A149, A building) from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Mon-Fri). Employees can pick up tests in the Bookstore (S building), 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Mon-Fri). Residents in Student Housing will be able to pick up their kit from the Student Housing office. 
  • Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon Arm – Students and employees can pick up tests from the Regional Dean’s Office from 8:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Mon-Fri). Salmon Arm Trades students will be able to pick up kits directly from the Salmon Arm Trades facility. 
  • Revelstoke - Students and employees can pick up tests from the Revelstoke Centre front office from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Mon-Friday).

Please be prepared to show your OC ID when picking up your test kit. This is to simply verify you are a student or employee; your information will not be tracked in any way. 

Reporting an absence

Here is the process to follow if you are sick and/or need to self-isolate for a period of time.

  • If you are feeling sick, stay home.
  • Contact your instructor if you will miss class due to feeling unwell or are initiating self-isolation. Here are the current guidelines and information for who should self-isolate in B.C. Note: anyone returning from international travel as of March 12, should self-isolate for 14 days, per the Public Health Officer.
  • If you have been diagnosed with a coronavirus infection (COVID-19), notify the Registrar's Office: registrar@okanagan.bc.ca or 250 762-5445, ext. 5417.
  • If you are feeling unwell and unsure what to do, B.C.'s self-assessment tool for COVID-19 can help determine if you need further assessment or testing. You are also encouraged to contact your primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1, if you feel you may have been exposed to the virus. 
  • If you are feeling ill, stay home.
  • Contact your supervisor as soon as possible to let them know you are feeling unwell or are initiating self-isolation. Here are the current guidelines and information for who should self-isolate in B.C.
  • All employees are expected to comply with the recommendations of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) including the recommendations with respect to out of country travel. As of March 12, the Government of Canada has advised residents to avoid all non-essential travel out of the country until further notice.
  • Note: anyone returning from international travel as of March 12 should self-isolate for 14 days, per the Public Health Officer.
  • If you are feeling unwell and unsure what to do, B.C.'s self-assessment tool for COVID-19 can help determine if you need further assessment or testing. You are also encouraged to contact your primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1, if you feel you may have been exposed to the virus.
  • You may wish to refer to your collective agreement, terms and conditions of employment, and Human Resource procedures for helpful information. If you have a question about a policy or procedure, please contact Human Resources.  

Mental health

Taking care of your mental health during the pandemic

There have been many rapid changes to protect all of us from the spread of COVID-19. If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or even depressed as a result, know that you are not alone and that help is available. In times of transition and uncertainty, taking good care of ourselves is more important than ever and OC Counselling Services has some tips and resources to share. 

7 essential tips for wellness

Tip 1

Follow or create a routine: wake up and go to sleep around the same time every day, make your bed, get dressed, set a goal for the day.

Tip 2

Stay connected: using phone, text, video chats or social media, stay in regular communication with friends and family.

Tip 3

Get some fresh air and sunshine when you can: schedule it into your day.

Tip 4

Practice mindfulness using activities such as meditation, yoga, art-making or journaling. You can find many free apps/websites for learning to meditate or doing yoga at home.

Tip 5

Limit the amount of time you watch or listen to media coverage. Find a credible source you can trust to get some facts. Social media is generally not a trustworthy source of information.

Tip 6

Remind yourself that this is for a limited time. Life will return to normal.

Tip 7

Look after your basic needs: eat well, drink lots of water, get enough sleep, get some exercise.

Resources to learn more

Here2Talk

The provincial government has updated its mental health resources page with virtual services and launched Here2Talk, a new mental health counselling and referral service for post-secondary students. The service offers confidential, free single-session services by app, phone or online chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn more at here2talk.ca.

Support is available

  • Registered OC students can access counselling via confidential video and phone sessions. Email counselling@okanagan.bc.ca with your full name, 300 number, and campus.
  • Foundry (Kelowna, Penticton) continues to provide primary medical care and counselling for youth 12-24 years of age, as well as some groups which have moved online.
  • If you are in need of immediate listening and support, please contact the BC Crisis Line at 1-888-353-2273 (available 24/7).

Useful apps and websites

Please visit the Health and Wellness webpage for more information.