USask requiring students, staff to have COVID-19 vaccinations on campus this fall | Globalnews.ca

All students, faculty and staff will be expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this fall term before entering campuses, according to the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

While the university said full details will be announced in the coming days, proof of a first vaccination will be required by Sept. 7 and the other by Oct. 18.

Unvaccinated individuals will be required to provide “regular and frequent” negative COVID-19 test results and submit a daily symptom checklist in order to access USask campuses, according to a press release on Friday.

“The science is unequivocal and overwhelming: vaccinations are the clearest path to beating COVID-19 and its dangerous variants,” USask president Peter Stoicheff said in a press release.

“We are eager to resume as much in-person teaching, learning and research as we possibly can by January. Only widespread vaccination and testing throughout our campuses can make this happen.”

USask said stronger vaccination and its new COVID-19 safety measures are in response to the fourth wave now underway and aim to minimize the health risks to all when on its campuses.

Consultations with other Canadian institutions, USask faculty, and legal and public health experts have contributed to this decision, the post-secondary institution in Saskatoon added.

“Requests for exemption from this vaccination requirement will be considered in alignment with The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code,” read the release.

The university said all current COVID-19 health and safety measures remain in place including indoor mask requirements, some continued online programming, space reconfigurations in high-traffic areas and enhanced cleaning.

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