Here's how one Ontario university is implementing their mandatory vaccination plan next semester

(@ontariotechu/Instagram)

TORONTO -

An Ontario university will soon be asking students to prove their vaccination status through a mobile application.

Ontario Tech University is one of the many post-secondary institutions across the province to recently announce that staff, students and faculty will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In the last week, York University in Toronto, Queen's University in Kingston, the University of Guelph, Ontario Tech University and the University of Toronto all came forward with their own versions of mandatory vaccination programs.

While many schools have yet to announce the details of these plans, Ontario Tech issued a release last week stating exactly how they intend to roll out their mandatory vaccination plans — including the use of mobile devices to prove vaccination status.

According to the release, their mandatory vaccination directive will take effect on Sept. 3. Prior to this date, the university encourages everyone to be fully vaccinated, where possible.

However, the university will allow individuals until Oct. 17 to receive their second dose.

The institution says they are giving a month’s leeway because they “[realize] that some community members will be coming from overseas and others may not have realized the critical importance of vaccination or may have extenuating circumstances.”

To prove vaccination status, Ontario Tech says they will be “[implementing] a software/mobile application to which [students] will be required to upload a copy of an official document issued by the government or organization that administered the vaccine.”

When asked what directive will be given to non-exempt students who chose to remain unvaccinated, a spokesperson for Ontario Tech University pointed towards online learning.

“Existing online learning options will continue to be available. The majority of our Fall courses will offer students the ability to complete their Fall term online,” a spokesperson for the school told CTV News Toronto Monday.

President and Vice-Chancellor at Ontario Tech University, Dr. Steven Murphy, expressed his support for the program in a statement.

“We all have the responsibility of keeping each other safe. By supporting this mandatory vaccination directive, we all contribute to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, now and over the long term,” Dr. Murphy said.

“Let’s work together as the university continues to be a leader in managing COVID-19, and a model for how to best live with a pandemic that will be with us for some time.”

Anyone who cannot be vaccinated, based on medical or other grounds recognized by the Ontario Human Rights Code, can request an accommodation, says the school.

However, the institution says that, in certain cases, individuals who are granted accommodations to attend campus without being fully vaccinated may be subject to additional health measures or conditions.

The university has said that it will also continue to follow all Durham Region Public Health directives, including mask-wearing, hand washing and frequent COVID-19 testing.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ontario Tech University (@ontariotechu)