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Three hundred and thirty-six hours; 14 days; two weeks – whatever the measure, it’s a long time to go to quarantine, with no family, no friends.
But that’s precisely what academics attending a prestigious personal school in Windsor, Nova Scotia, are committed to doing.
All other young people outside the Atlantic bubble who come to King’s-Edgehill School in September have to isolate themselves for two weeks.
“The value they have is incredible,” said Joe Seagram, director of King’s-Edgehill School.
“These academics sacrifice their private freedom for two weeks to live in a small single room. Fortunately, he has his own bathroom,” he says. “And the clock is serious. It’s a two-week stay. You don’t faint a minute before.”
Svenja Priggemeyer, 16, from Germany, arrived in Nova Scotia on 21 August. He’s quarantined for a few days.
“It’s a challenge, but the school handles it very well and so do we. It’s a very strict plan, but it’s very possible and amazing for all of us,” Priggemeyer said in a phone interview.
Seagram says the influx of foreign academics to Windsor is in accordance with protection and fitness regulations. The school began operating with the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Welfare in April to expand a plan.
“In May, we implemented our isolation plan,” Seagram said.
KES followed Nova Scotia’s rules for foreigners entering the province. Like Array academics, they stay at the Annapolis Basin Conference Center in Cornwallis to complete their quarantine.
Since the beginning of August, students have been picked up at the airport and transported by bus to the former military base. The site, one hour from Annapolis Royal, can accommodate up to 800 people.
Each day, students are checked the central frequency and percentage of blood saturation, as well as their temperature. They also pass the COVID-19 Symptom Questionnaire, all that will continue once they arrive on campus.
Priggemeyer said that each and every day is similar; they wake up, pick up breakfast at the door, are checked by a doctor and spend the morning reading, hobbies or any activity they can locate to keep themselves occupied in their room. Lunch comes the same way. Then more free time in your room until dinner. They are entitled to a 20 to 30 minute break outdoors, but are far from each other.
“It’s a day,” said Priggemeyer, who turns 12 in September.
“I think without social media or FaceTime, it would be much harder. At least with those networks, I can communicate with my circle of relatives and friends and just socialize in general.
Before his escape, Priggemeyer was already accustomed to practicing social estrangement, dressed in a mask and restricting social interactions.
Righo Etou, 16, from Congo and living in Montreal for seven months, describes the days in the same way. He’s been living in the middle for about the same time.
“Although it’s strict, it’s been fine,” the 12th grader said in a phone interview.
Etou has attended King’s-Edgehill School since sixth grade.
“I’m so excited because this is my senior year. I need it to be as fun as possible. I’m very excited to go back to my friends,” Etou said.
“Of course, I’m a little worried (by COVID-19) because we have other people coming from all over. But since the school has taken steps to keep everyone safe, I’m sure there won’t be any challenges. with that one. “
While King’s-Edgehill School welcomes young academics to campus, its principal is willing to assure citizens of West Hants Regional Municipality that they are taking every unimaginable precaution to save them from the highly contagious virus.
Seagram said that once the campus is open, students will be monitored and evaluated daily.
“We have the opportunity to review academics on the site,” Seagram said. “We have the most rigorous assessment of any establishment in Canada; not only do we take the temperature of the students and when they arrive, but to everyone who comes to campus … will take your central rate, blood saturation degrees, temperature and (receive) the COVID questionnaire. »
They have an on-site construction if isolation is required and 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for medical staff.
If you expect construction to not be necessary, symptoms will be remote without delay until medically authorized.
Improvements have been made on campus to include parts such as a classroom space, a home with benches, and several hand sanitizer stations.
As an additional security measure, Seagram said it would allow off-campus visits until late September.
“We are sensitive to the network as a whole,” Seagram said. “Until we function as a school for several weeks, until we are healthy by September, our students will be at Tim Hortons or McDonalds. They will be allowed to go to Sobeys.”
While he apologized to the business network that is benefiting from the influx of students, he said protection is the school’s most sensible priority.
“I hope Windsor and West Hants see what we’re doing here at school as a source of pride for them and their network and warmly welcome our students,” Seagram said. “And I hope our local merchants are prepared to attend to them and I apologize for the month of September, when I stay with my children on campus so they can’t spend their money locally.”
Priggemeyer says he believes the school has particularly reduced the threat of academics contracting COVID-19 and says he hopes the public may not be afraid of their presence when they are allowed to leave campus.
“Surely we don’t pose any danger to the community, because even school regulations are incredibly strict,” Priggemeyer said. “You don’t have to worry about us or anything because we’ll comply with all those regulations and stay as healthy as possible.”
Seagram said he was “excited, impressed” by adulthood and the commitment shown through Canadian and foreign academics who arrived at boarding school and college day school.
The school plans to remain open in December and March so students no longer have to travel and isolate themselves again. This is the first time in school history that will remain open during the holidays.
King’s-Edgehill will also see relief in the number of academics on campus this year, as academics with new exam permits issued after March 18 will be able to enter the country.
“We’ll have about part of the number of foreign academics we would have,” Seagram said.
Classes are scheduled to begin on September 9.