EOW response to COVID-19

Equal Opportunities West (EOW) is committed to providing a safe and healthy place for everyone. 

Effective immediately, EOW is taking the following preventative measures:

We will be cancelling all activities outside the program, including but not limited to bowling, coffee groups and community jobs. These measures are in effect until further notice. While these activities are important to us and the people in our program, we need to exercise caution with the ongoing pandemic and keep everyone involved in our organization and their family and friends safe. 

We are asking that everyone follow these steps as best as possible to prevent the spread of the virus:

- Clean your hands
- Do not shake hands, high-five, hug or share food/drink with others
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth whenever possible
- Sneeze and cough into your sleeve

Equal Opportunities West is asking for people to stay at home if they have any of the following symptoms until symptoms are gone:

- Fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath and/or breathing difficulties

If your symptoms persist, or you or someone close to you has recently travelled outside Canada, please contact Health Links at 204-788-8200. 

If your family has traveled out of the country, please self-quarantine for a minimum of 14 days after your return. 

In the meantime, we will be following the guidelines set forth by the World Health Organization, and the Canadian and Manitoba Governments, including:

- Keeping the workplace clean and hygienic and disinfecting surfaces
- Promoting regular and thorough handwashing
- Promoting good respiratory hygiene
- Consulting national travel advice
- Advising those who are sick to stay home
- Promoting the avoidance of people touching their eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands
- Promoting coughing or sneezing into your sleeve and not your hands
- Minimizing prolonged contact with others in public
- Avoid greetings that involve touching, including handshakes

If you have any concerns or questions in this regard, please contact us at 204-888-5422. 

For additional information about COVID-19, please go to: 

- Government of Manitoba: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/
- Centre for Prevention and Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/
- World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Equal Opportunities West is operating under the guidance of the Government of Manitoba and we will send our stakeholders updates for future development.

Added: Sun March 15th 2020