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Saskatchewan’s two universities are making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for people in their campus communities.
In media releases Friday, the universities of Regina and Saskatchewan said all faculty, staff and students must be vaccinated with an approved COVID vaccine for the 2021-22 academic year.
The U of S said proof of a first shot will be required by Sept. 7, with proof of a second dose necessary by Oct. 18. The U of R said it will require people to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1.
Both universities said the decision was made because of the increasing presence of the Delta variant and the relatively low vaccination rates among people under the age of 30 in the province.
“Similar vaccine requirements are being implemented at several other post-secondary institutions across the country,” U of R president and vice-chancellor Dr. Jeff Keshen said in the release from his school.
“The University of Regina is confident that, in mandating vaccines, we can reduce the transmission of COVID-19 on our campuses and in our communities.”
“The science is unequivocal and overwhelming: Vaccinations are the clearest path to beating COVID-19 and its dangerous variants,” U of S president Peter Stoicheff added in his school’s 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.”
The U of S said people who are unable or unwilling to get vaccinated will have to provide regular and frequent negative COVID-19 test results and to submit a daily symptom checklist in order to get on the school’s campuses.
Both schools said students living in residence, those who play varsity and club sports and those who serve as student athletic trainers will have to be vaccinated.
The universities will consider requests for exemption from the vaccination mandate under The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.
The schools are planning more on-campus activities in the fall after a 2020-21 school year that was conducted primarily online. Both hope to return to normal campus operations in the winter semester.
They’re to continue hosting vaccination clinics on their campuses and will maintain health and safety measures, including masking in all public places, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning.