Canadian Universities Continue to Maintain COVID-19 Measures

Several universities in Canada are keeping COVID-19 restrictions in place for students who attend in-person classes, such as COVID-19 vaccines and face-covering requirements.

Despite Ontario announcing it will lift its vaccine certificate system on March 1, some universities in the province said that they will continue to keep the vaccination requirement in effect, Erudera.com reports.

Universities that are maintaining COVID-19 vaccine and masking requirements for their employees and students include Western University, York University, and the University of Guelph. These universities say that they will keep restrictions in place until the end of the winter semester at least.

“Without proof of full vaccination, you will be de-enrolled from your in-person courses. Due to high demands and long waitlists for certain courses, re-enrolment is highly unlikely. The date to drop a course and receive a full refund has now passed and a full refund will not be issued,” York University said on February 10.

The university has imposed the vaccination mandate since September 2021, in accordance with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the recommendations of the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health.

At the same time, the University of Toronto said that it is not planning to change its COVID-19 vaccine policy, but the institution will consult with the government and public health officials on the matter.

“The University of Toronto requires that all those intending to be present on our campuses be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. All members of our community will be required to upload proof of vaccination via UCheck,” University of Toronto notes.

On the other hand, in the United States, the Los Angeles Unified School District removed the outdoor mask requirement following the decision of the country to allow K-12 schools to lift the requirement, meaning that students will not be asked to wear masks while outdoors.

According to data, Canada has registered 3,283,732 Coronavirus cases, 36,537 deaths while 3,131,360 people have been recovered.

A research by the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University, has revealed that Canada is among the countries recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic as more international students have chosen to study at Canadian universities.

Along with the UK, the US, Australia, and New Zealand, Canada has also experienced a decrease in the number of international students in early to mid-2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the research has indicated that Canadian universities have received more student visa applications despite the pandemic.

The post Canadian Universities Continue to Maintain COVID-19 Measures appeared first on Erudera College News.