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Epidemics

Universities in Western Canada Grapple with COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Requirements

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As classes resume next week, lead universities in Western Canada are still figuring out the logistics of their coronavirus vaccination and testing requirements for students, faculty, and staff. Despite the growing number of infections across the continent, universities are struggling to implement effective protocols, leaving many questions unanswered. Some institutions have announced plans to limit access to their campuses to only those who are vaccinated or test negative for the virus, but compliance and consequences remain unclear.

Key Takeaways:

  • The University of British Columbia (UBC) will require COVID-19 tests for students, faculty, and staff who are not vaccinated, but has not specified when the screening program will start or how it will work.
  • The University of Saskatchewan (USask) will require unvaccinated or non-disclosing individuals to submit two negative COVID-19 rapid tests weekly, starting September 13, but has not released details on the testing administration.
  • Faculty members across Western Canada have pressured postsecondary institutions to implement vaccination and testing policies, but universities have not uniformly followed through, leaving some professors to switch to online learning.
  • The Research Universities' Council of British Columbia (RUC) is working to provide COVID-19 tests to those who are not vaccinated or will not reveal their information.
  • UBC's vaccination policy requires individuals on campus to take a COVID-19 test if they are not vaccinated, but it is unclear what will happen to those who fail to meet this demand.
  • Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer, has previously stated that vaccine mandates are unnecessary in postsecondary institutions.
  • The University of Alberta will rely on self-declarations or has not provided complete details on its vaccination and testing policy.
  • Some universities are signing off on doses approved by the World Health Organization, expanding the list of acceptable vaccines.
  • The University of Calgary has said 84.8% of students who participated in a survey were fully vaccinated at the beginning of August, and another 7.5% planned on getting both shots by the time school starts.
  • In Alberta, about 54% of people between 20 and 29 are fully vaccinated.
  • On Wednesday, 19 to Zero, an organization advocating for immunization, will set up a mobile vaccination clinic at the University of Calgary.
  • To receive an exemption to the U of C's testing requirements, individuals on campus must be vaccinated with shots approved by Health Canada.

Statistics:

  • 84.8% of students at the University of Calgary participated in a survey and reported being fully vaccinated, as of August 2021.
  • 7.5% of students at the University of Calgary planned on getting both shots by the time school starts, as of August 2021.
  • 54% of people between 20 and 29 in Alberta are fully vaccinated.
  • 19 to Zero, an organization advocating for immunization, will set up a mobile vaccination clinic at the University of Calgary on Wednesday.

Sources:

  • The Globe and Mail (2021) - "Universities in Western Canada Grapple with COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Requirements"
  • University of British Columbia (2021) - "COVID-19 Tests for Students, Faculty, and Staff"
  • University of Saskatchewan (2021) - "COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program"
  • Research Universities' Council of British Columbia (2021) - "COVID-19 Tests for Unvaccinated Individuals"
  • University of Alberta (2021) - "COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Policy"
  • 19 to Zero (2021) - "Mobile Vaccination Clinic at University of Calgary"

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