9 Alberta universities, colleges to require COVID-19 vaccinations
Posted Sep 13, 2021 11:07 am.
Last Updated Sep 13, 2021 3:22 pm.
CALGARY – Several Alberta universities and colleges are changing course and introducing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for staff, students, and campus visitors.
BREAKING:
Nine Alberta post-secondary schools announce vaccine mandate and proof of vaccine requirements to attend campus. #yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab pic.twitter.com/1a58dFBGae
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) September 13, 2021
The universities of Alberta, Calgary, and Lethbridge, as well as Mount Royal, MacEwan, Medicine Hat College, NAIT, SAIT, and NorQuest College say everyone on campus must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan told CityNews that the school cannot sustain the level of rapid testing.
“This was another reason why we needed to move to a new policy of requiring vaccination across the board,” Flanagan said.
“Over 90 per cent of the University (of Alberta) community is fully vaccinated and we know this through the self-declaration process that we’re undertaking now.”
University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan tells me rising DELTA cases and an inability to keep up with rapid testing were factors in requiring COVID vaccinations to attend class. #COVID19AB #CovidVaccine #yeg #yyc pic.twitter.com/eZoxYouutL
— Darce Vader (@darcyropchan) September 13, 2021
Students and staff at those campuses will need to provide proof of vaccination and rapid testing will no longer be accepted as an alternative to being vaccinated, except for those who cannot be vaccinated.
Implementation dates for the new vaccination rules will vary from campus to campus.
.@sait's statement re: new vaccine mandate pic.twitter.com/a9d57dx8z0
— Kayla Butler (@ButlerKayla) September 13, 2021
SAIT has said it will be requiring vaccines as of Jan. 1.
The group of post secondaries says vaccines are the safest way to protect communities from COVID-19 and will be a critical part of fall safety plans.
