With classes set to resume in person at the University of Guelph in the coming weeks, the university will not be updating its vaccine requirements to include a COVID-19 booster shot.
A spokesperson from the U of G said “at this point, the university is not requiring boosters as part of our vaccine mandate. We will continue to follow directives from the government and our local public health.”
Winter semester classes are currently scheduled to resume in an online format on Jan. 10, with the university asking instructors to hold classes virtually for the first two weeks, with limited exceptions such as clinical teaching.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health spokesperson Danny Williamson said in an email: “certainly we’d encourage people to incorporate booster doses into their workplace, organization, and venue policies. The caveat being that not everyone has been approved or had the chance to get their booster yet, so we’d encourage some level of patience here too. The evidence shows that a third dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine provides a significant boost to any waning immunity and is good protection against the Omicron variant.”
A full return to campus with classes delivered in person is planned for Jan. 24.
Given the U of G’s deadline of Oct. 15, 2021, for all faculty, staff and students to submit their proof of vaccination, a large majority of those entering the campus are currently eligible for their booster shot.
Guidelines set out by the Ontario Ministry of Health strongly recommend those aged 18 and older wait a minimum of 84 days after their second dose.
Counting forward from Oct. 16 puts Jan. 8 as the date that everyone in compliance with the universities vaccine mandate will be eligible, including those who waited until Oct. 15 to receive their second dose, for a booster shot.
According to the U of G two doses of a Health Canada-authorized vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca) or one dose of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine will continue to constitute as fully vaccinated with no further vaccine action required.
Shoshana Jacobs, U of G associate professor within the department of integrative biology, pointed out the university is currently in a window to update the vaccine policy to include a booster shot for students before they return to campus.
“Our university leadership does not seem to have that as a primary concern, so again, we have not made any big announcements and we’re not going to be able to support students in getting a full round of booster shots in a timely manner that allows them to plan and all those things, said Jacobs.
“The university clearly is not going to take on a leadership role in recognizing the importance of a booster shot as it contributes to being a fully-vaccinated person, said Jacobs.
Speaking towards the planned return to campus, Jacobs said it is her impression the university will not return on Jan. 24 and believes the date will be pushed back.
