Wilfrid Laurier University will require all students, staff and faculty to be fully vaccinated or have plans to be fully vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine to return to campus this fall.
The decision reflects Laurier's continued efforts to focus on the health and safety of the university community amid the ongoing risks of COVID-19, the delta variant and other variants of concern.
As of Sept. 7, Laurier community members will be required to confirm their vaccination status in advance of attending the Brantford or Waterloo campuses, or other locations, including in Kitchener, Toronto and Milton.
Those who have not been fully vaccinated will be provided with information on the province's vaccination program and will be required to commit to regular COVID-19 testing and receive a negative test result before attending campus.
"As the pandemic has progressed, the university has been urging members of the Laurier community to take part in our shared responsibility by getting vaccinated," said Deborah MacLatchy, president and vice-chancellor. "This requirement will help us protect the health of each other and allows us to play an essential role in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and its variants."
The decision to require vaccines was made by university leadership with endorsement from Brant County Health Unit and Region of Waterloo Public Health.
"I strongly support Wilfrid Laurier University enacting vaccination policies that will facilitate the highest vaccination coverage possible," said Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Region of Waterloo's medical officer of health. "High vaccination coverage will be our strongest tool to prevent local outbreaks in the upcoming academic year. Full immunization offers the best protection against COVID-19 and reduces the risk for severe outcomes."
Anyone who is unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons or other grounds protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code will be able to submit a request for accommodation and will be required to follow testing requirements and health and safety protocols outlined for them by the university.
"We are still very much in the midst of our battle with this illness," said Dr. Malcolm Lock, acting medical officer of health at the Brant County Health Unit. "Our best tool to ensure students and staff remain safe, is to have as many school community members as possible receive a COVID-19 vaccine."
The university will continue to follow its existing health and safety policies and procedures, including requiring masks and physical distancing, among other measures outlined in the 12 ways Laurier is planning for a safe return to campus this fall.
More information is available through FAQs. Laurier is currently confirming policy and process details, which will be shared as they become available. For information about fall term, health and safety protocols and vaccine clinics, visit wlu.ca/recovery.
