Notice – Temporary Closure – Gerts Student Bar and Café
Dear student body,
Late on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, the SSMU Executive Committee and Gerts management were made aware of a positive case of COVID-19 at Gerts Bar. The individual was present on Monday, November 8th. Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to close Gerts Bar and Gerts Café for the rest of the week. We expect to reopen next week, but we will update the student body should this change.
We are taking this incident seriously and have begun the process of contact tracing to inform individuals who were present at Gerts Bar or Gerts Café on November 8th. As always, if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, we urge you to get tested as soon as possible.
If you were present at Gerts Bar or Gerts Café on Monday, November 8th, we urge you to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.
We remind you that McGill’s on-campus rapid testing site is not suitable for symptomatic individuals or individuals who are aware of a potential contact with a positive case.
The closest site to campus is Hôtel-Dieu, located at 109, Des Pins Avenue. It is open every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone can be tested there free of charge – you do not need to have a RAMQ card or any specific health insurance.
In accordance with Quebec Government health guidelines, adequately protected individuals against COVID-19 who have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 do not have to quarantine or self-isolate. They should be tested 3 to 5 days after an exposure, and should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days. If at any point within the 14 day period, an individual develops symptoms, they should get tested again and self-isolate until receiving their results.
We remind you that all vaccines approved by Health Canada are extremely effective at preventing COVID-19 infections. Breakthrough cases (cases in adequately protected individuals) are uncommon, but they do happen, and we urge students to proceed with caution in such situations.
We understand that the ongoing pandemic can be anxiety-provoking. Below is a list of mental health resources at McGill and in Montreal:
- Keep.meSAFE, 24/7 access to licensed counsellors available to all McGill students
- Peer Support Centre at McGill
- McGill Students’ Nightline
For information about the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, the most up-to-date information can be found here.
Stay safe,
The SSMU and Gerts Bar
