Vaccination will be required on U of C campus

By Sophia Lopez, September 13 2021—

It was announced today that the University of Calgary, along with eight other Albertan post-secondary institutions, will be requiring campus community members and visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

By Jan. 1, 2022, students, faculty and staff are expected to be fully vaccinated or have an authorized exemption to vaccination. Campus visitors will be expected to prove their vaccination status starting Oct. 1. 

In an email from University of Calgary President Ed McCauley to the campus community, he explained how this plan will ensure that the spread of COVID-19 will be reduced and that in-person classes can continue while remaining safe. 

“Our campus is a special place and it has been invigorating to see it return to life this fall,” said McCauley. “We are taking these steps to protect all of you and our ability to remain open. Vaccination will be a requirement for all employees and on-campus students.” 

This plan means that rapid-testing will no longer be accepted as an alternative to vaccination. However, rapid-testing will still be used for members of the community who cannot be vaccinated based on medical or other protected grounds outlined in the Alberta Human Rights Act.

The university encourages the campus community to get vaccinated as soon as possible in order to protect the community from the virus. 

“The value of vaccination to combat COVID-19 has been well-established,” said McCauley. “Vaccination is how we move past COVID-19 and is necessary to retire stopgap measures such as mandatory masking and regular rapid testing.” 

For more information on getting vaccinated, visit the U of C website. If you are in need of support during these times, visit the U of C’s Student Wellness Services.