Editor’s note: please check back regularly for more updates.
April 20, 2022
Mask mandates return
Students at the University of Ottawa have expressed fear and frustration with the institution’s decision to end its mask and vaccination mandates on May 1, according to the Ottawa Citizen. The city is currently in a midst of a sixth wave, and wastewater indicators show record-high indicators of COVID-19 in the last few days. Carleton University has taken a different direction and has asked students to maintain wearing masks until further notice, while Queen’s University has extended its mask mandate until the end of May.
CTV News has reported that there were over 400 positive cases of COVID-19 reported in the first two weeks of April at the University of Saskatchewan, leading administrators to require masking until the end of June.
Elsewhere, students at Ryerson University have filed a lawsuit against the institution over its vaccine mandate, according to the Western Standard, saying that the mandate caused them to lose campus jobs, scholarships and peace of mind.
April 13, 2022
Exam season amid the variants
Postsecondary students in Ontario are heading into in-person exams this month, despite the rising sixth wave of COVID-19 across the province. Ryan Gregory, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Guelph, spoke to the Toronto Star about how students are juggling multiple stressors during exam season, and now have undue stress for fear of catching COVID-19.
And, as graduation rounds the corner, education advocates are warning about the long-term impacts of the pandemic on next year’s incoming university students. Laurie French, president of the Canadian School Board Association, told CBC News that students’ education outcomes during the pandemic has varied widely across the provinces and depending on the student’s life at home, and that learning was especially difficult for those living in remote or rural communities with poor connectivity. “There’s going to be a widening gap for those children,” said Ms. French.
April 6, 2022
Despite sixth wave, more Ontario universities move to end restrictions
Ontario has marked its highest COVID-19 test positivity rate since mid-January, with hospitalizations up 30 per cent, according to CBC News. However, more Ontario universities have announced the end of masking and vaccination requirements on May 1. The University of Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Carleton University – which has seen a recent outbreak of 221 cases – have all made the move.
However, Brock University has gone in the opposite direction, choosing to maintain its masking and vaccine measures into the Spring semester, and will also be providing rapid antigen tests, medical masks and KN95 masks to students, staff and faculty.
March 30, 2022
Quebec sees outbreaks among students, Ontario lifts masking and vaccine requirements
The director of the Université Laval medical program notified students on Tuesday that there had been a COVID-19 outbreak, indicating that class would not resume in person until April 1. A university spokesman told CBC News that the number of students infected was unknown, and that the spread came as students gathered off campus. This follows a surge in COVID-19 cases at McGill University, where the Montreal Gazette reported that students were breaking isolation to collect meals in dining halls, due to a shortage of isolation rooms. Quebec is currently seeing a rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations following a two-month decline.
In British Columbia, the University of Victoria’s senate voted 23-19 in favour of reinstating an on-campus mask mandate, but its board of directors declined to accept the recommendation, according to CHEK News. The university is recommending that students continue to mask indoors but is not making it a requirement.
The University of Ottawa, Queen’s University, the University of Toronto, and Ryerson University have recently announced that they will suspend masking and vaccination mandates on May 1, the first day of spring semester. The announcement follows the province’s lifting of mask mandates in most indoor places on Mar. 14.
March 23, 2022
Universities announce lifting of mask mandates, vaccine requirements
On May 1, several universities across Canada will remove their mask mandates and proof of vaccination requirements. Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Ottawa and the University of Guelph have all made the announcement, while strongly recommending that students continue to mask while on campus. CTV News reported that Carleton University has extended masking and vaccine requirements until at least the end of the Winter term.
In Quebec, Concordia University and McGill University will both continue to enforce mask mandates throughout the semester, while the Université de Montréal says it has not yet decided. The province plans to remove mask mandates by April, according to CTV News.
Manitoba’s two largest universities, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg, both plan to lift vaccine requirements in the spring but are continuing with their masking policy, according to CBC News.
Mount Royal University has lifted its masking mandate, following the directive from the province, but students are arguing that the university should be able to make its own health and safety policies to protect vulnerable students and their families.
March 16, 2022
To mask, or not to mask?
In a statement released last Friday, the Council of Ontario Universities announced that the province’s universities will maintain their masking requirement until at the least the end of the semester, according to the Toronto Star. The province is preparing to lift its mask mandate on March 21.
Albertan universities have made the opposite move, with students and staff at the University of Alberta and MacEwan University no longer required to mask up, following the province-wide decision to end masking on March 16. The University of Alberta students’ union said it plans to fight the policy, after a survey showed 61 per cent of students want to continue wearing masks.
Students at Simon Fraser University have also launched a petition to oppose the university’s recent move to drop its mask mandate, whereas the University of British Columbia has chosen to maintain mask wearing until the end of the spring semester. British Columbia removed the mask mandate for indoor public spaces on March 11.
On the East Coast, Cape Breton University is the only Atlantic university that is dropping its face mask policy, and CBC News reported that many faculty are worried about the decision. Nova Scotia will end mask mandates at the same time as Ontario, on March 21.
Something to celebrate
After two years of students attending virtual convocations, pandemic graduates from the classes 2020, 2021 and 2022 will be able to gather in person for convocation at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, according to The Record.
March 9, 2022
Online learning during pandemic leaves some students wanting more
Remote learning options used during the pandemic offer more flexibility and accessibility for some students, which may be forcing universities to reimagine how they structure courses. According to CBC News, students with disabilities, anxiety disorders and socioeconomic issues benefit from online programs, which are expected to see enrollments rise in the coming years. While the online model isn’t new, universities are experimenting with novel technologies like mixed reality to enhance the online learning experience for students of all abilities.
Students prepare for campus life in Manitoba
Brandon University is preparing for a full return to campus for fall 2022, with the lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions at the university through the spring and summer. In a statement to CBC News, Brandon University president David Docherty cited extreme levels of vaccination on campus and in the community, as well as hopeful projections for the health care system throughout the coming months. The University of Manitoba, however, is likely to make an announcement about a return to campus in the summer term in the weeks ahead.
March 2, 2022
Universities extend vaccine mandates, despite lifting of restrictions
More universities have announced that their vaccine requirements and other COVID-19 health measures will remain in place until at least the end of the winter semester. St. Thomas University’s vice-chancellor wrote to the student community that it will maintain its protection measures, including masking and physical distancing requirements, despite the province of New Brunswick lifting its restrictions on March 14, according to CBC News. UPEI will also be keeping its mandatory vaccination requirements and plans to re-evaluate its policy in the spring.
University students have mostly returned to class in Ontario, with CTV News reporting that both staff and students at Western University are glad to be back. At Brock University, however, a handful of students advocated for more online learning options, hoping to bring attention to what they believe to be “unsafe conditions” at the St. Catharine’s campus, according to the Niagara Falls Review.
Unvaccinated staff put on unpaid leave
At the University of Waterloo, there has been a series of staff terminations after the school chose to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations. The Record reported that the terminations came after the province announced it would be removing requirements for mandatory vaccine policies in the workplace. The professors have been placed on unpaid leave.
February 23, 2022
Universities take varied response to ending vaccine requirements
Many provincial governments have announced the end of vaccine mandates, with some universities choosing to follow suit. In Alberta, where in-person learning will resume on Feb. 28, the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta and Mount Royal University have all decided to drop their vaccine mandates, citing high rates of vaccination among students. Masking, however, will remain in place until at least the end of April.
Ontario is also ending its vaccine certificate program on March 1, but Ontario universities including the University of Toronto, the University of Guelph, and York University are choosing to uphold their vaccine mandates and masking requirements until at least the end of the winter term, according to The Canadian Press.
In British Columbia, CTV News reported that a public health order that requires vaccinations for postsecondary students living in residence has been extended until June 30.
High school students may be unprepared for postsecondary education
Most high school students in Canada have had their education severely disrupted due to the pandemic, causing educators to worry about how prepared they are for university. CBC News reported that the pandemic has caused gaps in learning, as high school teachers chose more lenient assessment methods such as open-book exams. Returning to in-person exams may prove exceedingly challenging for new cohorts entering the university system, the report said.
February 16, 2022
Universities in Alberta and Saskatchewan react to the lifting of public health restrictions
After the abrupt announcement that Alberta would be lifting most COVID-19 public health restrictions last week, minister of advanced education Demetrios Nicolaides wrote a letter to postsecondary institution board chairs asking them to “align their COVID-19 policies and practices with that of Alberta’s government.” It was met with mixed reaction from the province’s universities, with Mount Royal University saying that they will maintain their vaccine requirement while the University of Calgary has dropped it. The University of Alberta, meanwhile, has chosen to keep their mask requirement in place for the “immediate” future, according to CTV News, a move that is supported by the students’ union.
“This is not something most students want,” Christian Fotang, U of A students’ union vice president external, told the news organization. “It’s not something students asked for. It seems like a solution in search of a problem.”
In Saskatchewan, the provincial government plans to lift the last of its public health restrictions by March 1. The University of Regina, however, is planning to keep its mask mandate and is requiring non-vaccinated students to take a rapid antigen test three times a week, according to the Regina Leader-Post. The university will also be lifting proof of vaccination requirements for those who only periodically visit campus, although those visitors will be encouraged to take a rapid test before arriving.
Students, staff call for hybrid learning model
Some University of Victoria students are planning to walk out of class this week to protest the return of in-person learning, which they say does not accommodate the immunocompromised as well as those who are uncomfortable or unbale to return to campus. A similar dispute has arisen at McMaster University in Ontario, where students, faculty and staff have signed a petition to extend online learning.
February 9, 2022
More students across Canada return to a new normal on campus
Many students at the University of Waterloo told CTV News they are happy to be back on campus, with the university beginning its gradual return to in-person learning on Feb. 7, a return date chosen by several Ontario universities. Enhanced safety measures including new mask mandates and improved disinfection are being implemented across some campuses. The University of Toronto has also seen staff and students return to campus this week.
At Trent University, students are questioning the safety of returning to residences, and asking for an online learning option for the semester, according to Global News. Trent has also launched a vaccine booster campaign with clinics being hosted on campus this week.
Despite the Alberta government’s recent announcement that many COVID-19 health measures will be lifted on Feb. 14, This comes as student representatives at the University of Alberta are arguing that the school has failed to meet basic standards for online courses. “Students generally feel they have not gotten what they have paid for, they have gotten an online education that is substantially worse than it had to be, and they’re upset and frustrated and demanding the university to do something about it,” said Rowan Ley, president of the U of A’s students’ union to the Edmonton Sun. Further south, the University of Calgary announced it is maintaining its mask mandate and vaccine requirements, as reported by CTV News.
CTV News has also reported that UBC students will receive N95 masks and rapid tests if they are symptomatic upon their return to campus this week.
The news organization also reported that the University of Saskatchewan has welcomed back staff and students who have a 99 per cent vaccination rate.
February 2, 2022
Returning to in-person learning prompting petitions, walkouts
Several universities in Ontario returned to campus or began a phased reproach to a full return on Jan. 31, causing concern among students and staff. The Toronto Star reported that students in the province felt “forced” to begin in-person learning, regardless of their personal risk profile or if they are financially able to do so. At Lakehead University, the student union is calling to eliminate the prospect of in-person learning until the end of the winter term in a petition that has been signed by more than 2,000 people. Students and faculty at Ryerson University have also written an open letter asking for an online option this term.
““With merely two months left in this semester when the school plans to reopen, it is worthless to put students through this much work … I plead to Ryerson University to stay online for the remainder of winter semester and make more informed and data-based decisions in the future,” wrote mechanical engineering student Jwalit Bharwani, according to Global News.
Although the letter has over 11,000 signatures, Ryerson administrators are not backing down, citing the fact that the return to in-person learning will be program and faculty-specific and that a full return isn’t expected until Feb. 28.
A similar story is unfolding at the University of Waterloo, where a grassroots campaign has written a letter to administrators arguing that in-person instruction will “result in the immediate increased risk of illness, hospitalization, and possibly death, of students, staff, and faculty at the university,” according to The Record.
In Quebec, where tensions have been rising between staff and students and their institutions, more boycotts are expected, according to CTV News. At Concordia, 78 per cent of students say they don’t feel ready to return to campus, which is planned on Feb. 3, while at McGill University, the law student’s association has joined the school of social work and education graduate students in refusing to return. Student unions at both universities are also spending thousands to purchase N95 masks, said CBC News, a safety measure they say is the responsibility of the universities.
On the East Coast, Memorial University students are staging a virtual walkout to protest the return to campus, while 360 lecturers and research fellows are hoping to “bring their employer back to the table” in negotiations over pay by threatening a strike.
January 26, 2022
Many universities returning to in-person learning Jan. 31, causing concern among some
The on-again, off-again nature of universities’ in-person learning plans are the source of some frustration across Canada this week, with many universities maintaining that they will return to campus next Monday.
McGill University has responded to safety concerns from students and staff, saying that the approach is “nuanced” and that instructors can teach 20 per cent present of their courses remotely, according to CTV News. Students returned on Jan. 24, prompting the school of social work to go on strike.
In Ontario, the University of Ottawa, the University of Guelph and Western University will return to in-person learning on Jan. 31 in a phased approach based on class and activity size. Carleton University, however, has elected to return to campus on Feb. 7 “to give everyone additional time to prepare,” according to a statement from the president and vice-chancellor. The University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo have chosen Feb. 7 as well.
About 40 students staged a walkout in protest of Simon Fraser University’s decision to have students return on Jan. 24, as reported by CTV News. Catherine Dauvergne, the university’s provost, said she recognizes the anxiety and concerns of students but that there Is an “irreplaceable value to in-person learning” and students have options available to them should they not want to attend class. The University of British Columbia will be returning on Feb. 7.
On the East Coast, Memorial University students and staff are heading back on Jan. 31, despite concerns from both groups that doing so in unsafe. Dalhousie University is following suit, while the University of Prince Edward Island plans to continue remote learning until Feb. 27.
Student athletes go pro
CBC News reported this week that some athletes in Nova Scotia are choosing to play professionally following the suspension of the university hockey season in Atlantic Canada.
A trickle-down effect stemming from the NHL’s worry about cancelled games has caused the league to “pack its roster” with back-up players from the lower professional leagues, creating space for student athletes to move up a rung. “[With] NHL players not being able to play, AHL players get called up, and then East Coast League players get called up into the AHL,” said Tim Maloney, executive director of athletics at Dalhousie. Mr. Maloney says that there are more professional opportunities for hockey players “arguable than ever before,” and that the uncertainty from COVID-19 is forcing both students and coaches to make tough decisions.
January 19, 2022
Return to campus shifts across the country, splitting opinion on what’s best for students
There are early signs that the highly contagious Omicron variant may reach its peak in Ontario in the coming weeks, according to CBC News, but the expected pressure on the province’s hospital system has prompted some universities to further push back their return-to-campus dates.
This was the reasoning behind the University of Waterloo’s continuation of online learning until Feb. 7, according to a statement from administrators. Western University, however, has delayed the return to campus for first-year students to Feb. 28 while upper-year students will return on Jan. 31. The decision did not sit well with new students, who launched a petition to reverse it, arguing that remote learning is having a negative impact on their mental health. A second petition was initiated by Western students holding the opposite view: that class should remain online to reduce the spread of Omicron.
“Obviously, we recognize people are divided in their opinion,” John Doerksen, Western’s acting provost and vice-president, academic told CTV News. “We’re just hoping that a measured plan will see us through the academic year and ensure the best possible teaching and learning experiences for our communities.”
The three affiliate colleges at Western have chosen to welcome all students back to campus on Jan. 31, as reported by the Toronto Star, falling in line with other Ontario institutions including the University of Toronto, Wilfred Laurier University, and the University of Windsor.
Meanwhile, Alberta’s COVID-19 infections are at an all-time high, with projections indicating new records for hospitalizations could surpass previous peaks in the coming weeks. The province’s postsecondary institutions have delayed in-person learning for at least another six weeks, according to the Calgary Herald, and the University of Lethbridge is facing demands from students to move the entire semester online and to issue refunds for those living in university residences.
The University of British Columbia is following the same pattern, delaying its return until at least Feb. 7. Simon Fraser University, however, intends to resume classes on Jan. 24 despite pleas and petitions from students to push the date back.
McGill in hot water over student safety, facing demands and student strikes
McGill University is asking students to return to in-person learning on Jan. 24, while Concordia hopes to welcome back students on Feb. 3. Both universities are facing criticism from students and teachers, according to Global News. Tensions escalated between McGill students and their institution late last week, when an internal document was shared with CBC News indicating that teaching staff should be prepared for “more illness among students and increased rates of absenteeism” upon the on-campus return. This led to outrage from student groups, with the students’ society of McGill issuing a rare plea to instructors:
“It has become clear that McGill is unwilling to take steps towards student safety, and administration has made it clear that they expect a great deal of student and instructor absenteeism,” reads the statement, released on Jan. 17. “Simply put, instructors are our last hope for a safe semester. As such, we are asking instructors to please do everything that you can to make classes accessible to students remotely.”
That evening, undergraduates in the McGill school of social work voted in an overwhelming majority to go on strike, refusing to attend in-person learning until at least Feb. 25.
January 12, 2022
Student athletes pushed to the sidelines
Ontario’s COVID-19 public health measures, which took effect on Jan. 5, have dealt a blow to university athletes across the province. Under the new restrictions, gyms and indoor recreational sport facilities are closed with the exception of those training for the Olympics, Paralympics and in certain professional and “elite amateur” sport leagues. CBC News reported that the exclusion of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Ontario Colleges Athletic Association from the “elite” designation led to an outcry from student athletes, coaches and advocates.
🔉We are Elite competitors.
🔉We are Elite leaders.
🔉We are Elite in academics.
🔉We are Elite in every sense of the word.
🔉We are Warriors. #OUAisElite #GoBlackGoGold🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/PUZwr6Qyuw— Waterloo Warriors (@WlooWarriors) January 6, 2022
“The notion that the hard-working student-athletes, who have long strived toward the goal of competing at the post-secondary level and proudly representing one of the OUA’s 20 member institutions in the sport they love, aren’t considered elite by the Government of Ontario is a disservice to the dedication, commitment, and talent that they continue to show on a day-to-day basis,” reads a statement released by the OUA following the news.
Alexandra Adamo, press secretary to Premier Doug Ford, told CBC News that the decision was based on guidance from Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Kieran Moore. The ban on indoor sports activities is in place until Jan. 27.
Universities weigh return to in-person learning
Ontario universities welcomed students back to online learning courses on Jan. 10, kicking off the Winter 2022 semester. The rapid rise of the Omicron variant, however, has delayed in-person learning until at least Jan. 24, and in some cases Jan. 31, at many universities across the province. The Toronto Star’s Nadine Yousif has reported that the expectation that students return to campus in the weeks ahead is causing anxiety and uncertainty, particularly for those living in residences.
In Quebec, the provincial government has maintained that postsecondary institutions are not sources of COVID-19 outbreaks and has urged universities to return on Jan. 17. But most have opted to take advantage of the two-week grace period granted by the province, further delaying the return to campus. Meanwhile, CTV News has reported that McGill University has suspended its COVID-19 rapid test pilot project to align with the government directive that tests be saved for symptomatic individuals.
Most universities in British Columbia have also chosen to push back their return-to-campus dates, prompting petitions from students at BCIT, Langara College and Douglas College demanding that their institutions follow suit, according to CTV News. The Chronicle Herald in Halifax reported a similar appeal launched by Memorial University students concerned with the safety of attending in-person this semester. In Alberta, the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta and other postsecondary institutions have announced that online learning will continue for the first three weeks of January.
Internationally trained nurses stepping in
Immediate staffing shortages in health-care facilities across the country are galvanizing internationally trained nurses living in Canada to return to work. On Jan. 12, CTV News reported that 1,200 of the nearly 15,000 internationally educated nurses in Ontario who are not practising in their field will be filling roles at hospitals and long-term care homes. The B.C. Nurses Union is also calling for a simplification of its certification process for internationally educated nurses.
January 5, 2022
VIU postpones classes
Vancouver Island University is delaying its Spring 2022 in-person learning to Jan. 10. “The increase and sudden surge of the Omicron variant is dynamic and fluid,” said VIU in a statement. “We are delaying the start of classes to give our Health and Safety team time to reinforce our current safety protocols and implement any additional measures if needed. Our priority is to keep our staff, faculty, and students safe.” Despite the delay, the campus was opened on Jan. 4 so that students have access to services.
UWaterloo pushes back start date for in-person classes
The University of Wateloo will be resuming in-person learning later than it originally anticipated, due to the announcement by the provincial government that Ontario will be returning to a modified version of Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen. “Before the winter break we moved most teaching and learning online until January 24, and we asked all employees who can work from home to do so until the same date. To align with the government direction, we will extend these arrangements until January 27,” the university said in a statement. “We know that for many people, returning to the campus is a necessity – even while most of our community learns and works remotely. This means that for people in the highest risk roles and situations who work on our campus we are working to obtain more rapid antigen tests and we continue to procure medical-grade masks that are available through Central Stores.”
Online learning isn’t all bad, says Toronto Star columnist
Recently, Toronto Star columnist Uzma Jalaluddin wrote about how the pandemic may actually have some positive outcomes for university students. She spoke to her niece who is in her fourth year at the University of Waterloo, who said “I’m not fighting for information, struggling to get the bare minimum. When you’re in a class setting, there are so many factors that affect your ability to obtain and retain information. It could be the layout of the class: is there a blackboard, is there a projector? Where are you sitting, are you beside people who are noisy? And if you have a class before, you’re running across campus. These are significant problems but they are understated, because (it’s assumed) that’s just what being a student is. But I disagree. It’s really just the flaws of the system that are unlikely to be addressed […] Having everything online makes it a lot easier for me. I have access to notes and I don’t need to worry, I’m able to go through everything. In addition, having online office hours has been a game changer.”
Ms. Jalaluddin goes on to say that she recognizes that many professors were forced to become more tech savvy, but it has also given them an opportunity to think about how to present their course material in a more effective manner.
“One thing is clear: school is changing in Ontario and around the world, and there is no sign that things will return to how they used to be; both for better and for worse, education is changing before our eyes,” she wrote.
It is my believe; Since every University has their own opinion rules and their mandatory elements, etc. according to vaccination.
Neither to say not all students are vaccinated as well.
It can be for religion, health purposes or simply believes etc..
Therefore, the control to stop the speeding or trans passing different variants, viruses it will be impossible. Regardless if they are vaccinated every organism reacts differently.
I am a mother of two University students and they are vaccinated even I don’t think they will be in a safe environment surrounded by thousand of students without the unknown …
… It happens or it will happen? Just to have or roll the economy and making money no matter the consequences?
Sharing my thoughts and my concerns at the end would be a very high price to pay!
Will natural immunity be acknowledged? Recent science has supported evidence that those individuals who have been infected or had asymptomatic Covid exposure produce long lasting memory t cell protection. According to The Journal of Infectious Diseases protection is currently known to last up to 11 months.
Since Sars Covi 2 has been circulating for over 1 1/2 years, and know to be mild or asymptomatic in most healthy young adults, would it not be a reasonable assumption that many of these people have immunity through natural exposure?
It appears it is fear not science driving the need to mandate an emergency use vaccine against a virus that has a 99% survival rate for healthy young people. If you are requiring students to be in the vaccine trial for immunity sake, shouldn’t schools also acknowledge through testing, natural immunity, if it really is about health?
Excellent questions and important points! It is as though science and critical thinking have been thrown out the window entirely in response to Covid-19. Mass hysteria rules the day. Cancel culture destroys Western civilisation, as we all cower for fear of being cancelled or de-platformed. At what cost? These vaccines haven’t existed long enough to complete the full clinical trial process. We don’t know the long term effects or individual risk factors. Where are all the sanctimonious Human Research Ethic Boards members now? Nuremberg Code ring a bell? UN’s Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights? Canada has signed both.
University students do not live in an isolated bubble. They have grandparents, parents, and family members who they can infect without realizing it. Some of them will may get seriously ill and die. Even university students can have health conditions that make them medically vulnerable to this virus. Curbing community transmission is the goal here.
Your other arguments are spurious, and often used by anti-vaxxers. The vaccines have indeed been through the full clinical trial and approval process. Name one vaccine that has produced long-term negative health effects more than 6 months after administration. Over 8 billion vaccine doses have been safely administered worldwide.
Frances, the fear probably made you not look too far and see how safe they are.
There were children that died after taking the vaccines, CDC do not even publish the data for people between 18-49 , – if you take the vaccine or not first , you can get Omicron right after both cases , if you do not tale the vaccine , you built a better immunity though. Instead, young people ( especially male) between the ages of 16-30 are prone to develop myocarditis , an inflammation of heart for which Hospital of Sick children in Toronto opened a clinic for this specific issue after the teenagers took the vaccine and developed the sickness. Many other proofs are now available out there , you just have to inform yourself.
I am vaccinated and I got infected with Omicron after 3 months , my friends were not vaccinated and they had it too. All of us had the same symptoms , a sore throat for about 24 hours that got away with propolis tincture.
Please , I got bored of this term : anti-vaxxers , could you please use your own terms when you refer to people you do not agree with, try to not copy the narrative , try your own imagination, you will be amazed of what you can find about yourself.
In your stories, I think it is important to distinguish how various universities are using the term ‘required’. Currently, U of T’s requirement for everyone, is for people to self-declare. Proof is only required for those in residences, and taking part in certain activities such as sports, music, and some others. Everyone else does not have to provide proof, just self-declare. Whereas, other universities such as U of Ottawa means ‘provide proof of vaccination’. I think it would be very helpful if your stories could include info about proof required, or proof not required.
Here’s an interesting summary of the way universities implemented the mandates: https://www.beyondthenarrative.ca/universities-and-covid-jabs-mandate-or-recommendation/
So even though fully vaccinated individuals can get and pass on the virus, only unvaccinated individuals must submit a negative covid test to walk onto campus? How does that make sense if the problem is the spread of the virus?
Unvaccinated individuals are the most likely to catch and pass on the virus. Testing them regularly helps to mitigate this risk. While testing everyone (inside and outside the university) regularly would also help reduce risk, it is expensive and burdensome. The regular testing also helps to reinforce good habits like mask wearing and social distancing.
Do you have a reference on your info?
As far as I know, vaccines only help to prevent the late stage of illness. also, Vaccine protection only lasts a couple of months, like 8 months. taking additional doses is required to keep up with the protein spikes and the different variants.
Sorry, but they are really a vaccine. They are universities with professors in logic, math, Healthcare, and ethic. They should know better than us.
Unless the universities are been take over by politics and activists.
As a university student surely you can use Google?
Check the Ontario Science Table dashboard for numbers.
https://covid19-sciencetable.ca/ontario-dashboard/
Current COVID-19 Risk in Ontario by Vaccination Status:
All numbers per million on each group, based on previous 7 day average.
Covid cases: 39.1 (vaccinated) vs. 212.1. (unvaccinated)
Hospitalizations: 7.9 vs. 122.7
ICU: 2.7 vs. 77.2
You can’t argue a case when you don’t know the facts.
Yes, it is my belief that Canadian universities have long since been overrun by politicised ideologues. That it has been allowed to get to the point that they feel justified in coercing students, staff, faculty and visitors to their campuses to undergo medical intervention which is still in clinical trial is a disgraceful violation of the scientific process, let along violation of human rights. No big surprise, just last week, the University of Toronto announced a partnership with Moderna for RNA research – the first such corporate partnership at a Canadian university. Gee, I wonder if the aggressive mandates which were implemented in such a way as to override physicians’ medical recommendations and sworn affidavits testifying to one’s religious beliefs had anything to do with such partnerships. The optics are atrocious. There are going to be some very uncomfortable court cases in the years to come.
How is it that an entire country of academics, who tout the TCPS2 values on human research ethics as though it is their bible are almost silent on the massive violation of human rights, let alone the bad science and flawed interpretation of the safety data on these vaccines, vaccine mandates and vaccine passports? These vaccines haven’t existed long enough to be subject to the clinical trial process. We don’t know if they have effects on fertility, let alone on fetal and infant development among children born to those who were vaccinated prior to or during conception. What if we’re forcing young adults to vaccinate only to render them sterile when they are ready to start trying for children? There have been zero carcinogenicity studies. There has been discussion among academics that these vaccines might be neurotoxic. What if they cause dementia? Cancer and dementia effects take years to identify but potentially increasing one’s risk is now the gamble one has to take in order to get a degree?! Are you kidding me?
Talk about white privilege. A bunch privileged, upper-middle class people who were able to afford to dedicate ten years to the pursuit of their research interests now won’t risk their cushy positions to stand up for human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and ethical practice! What a bunch of self-absorbed hypocrites. Is this really the state of academia in Canada? It is disgraceful. You are ruining the good name of the academe.
It’s probably not surprising that typical anti-vaxxer comments are being posted here that are part of the huge misinformation wave being spread by social media. Scientific studies that refute your comments are readily available online if you can be bothered to look for them, which clearly you aren’t. Name one vaccine that has produced deleterious effects on fertility, foetuses, or is carcinogenic, neurotoxic, causes dementia etc. I’m afraid that you are deluded.
I can’t agree with you more, Helen! There is no safety data because the trials are still under way and won’t be complete for another couple of years. The trials are made up of all the guinea pigs who rolled up their sleeve for the “jab/stab”. This is a disgrace and a criminal act against humanity. At the moment, Covid hospitalizations are greatest among those who are fully vaccinated. Those who are fully vaccinated can still get infected and still transmit Covid. If the purpose of the mandate is to protect the health and well-being of the school community then where is the logic? The science is being ignored and shut down.
To Frances Sharom’s comments, you need to do your research! There have been thousands of deaths and injuries from these Covid vaccines worldwide. But you won’t see it on mainstream media where all you get is lies and deception. You need to dig deeper to get the truth.
People should be aware that “fully vaccinated” will soon mean much more than just the two shots you got. There will be lifetime booster shots to be considered fully vaccinated. You are handing over your medical freedom on a silver platter. God help you.
More conspiracy theories from the anti-vaccination crowd. I am a scientific researcher, and am certainly able to read and understand the many studies that have been carried out (and are still ongoing) on these vaccines. What are your qualifications in this regard? A degree from the university of Facebook?
I’m a vaccinologist. As a requirement of my profession, I have to be familiar with things like the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans, as well as the Health Care Consent Act, Nuremberg Code and the Constitution of this country, not to mention the clinical trial process, the third phase of which, these inoculations are currently under. How’s your hateful narrative holding up for you, Frances?