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Dear Queen’s community,

As we prepare for the beginning of the fall term, your health and safety remains the highest priority of the university. That is why on Aug. 26 we strengthened our safety measures against COVID-19 by joining other universities and colleges in Ontario in implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Under the new policy, all individuals (students, staff, faculty, contractors, and visitors) who are participating in university activities in person, either on Queen’s campus or other Queen’s property, must be vaccinated.

To effectively implement this new mandate, we must collect information about the vaccination status of all members of the Queen’s community. To that end, I am writing to inform you that the university has today launched a vaccination status declaration form that must be completed by all students, faculty members, and staff.

Individuals who declare they are fully vaccinated will be required to upload proof of their vaccination status. For individuals who request an accommodation for reasons protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code, a confidential process for assessing those requests through the relevant offices will be followed.

Ensuring high vaccination rates remains the most important way we can protect the public health during the pandemic and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

You can find the vaccination status declaration form, further details about our vaccine requirement, and information on obtaining vaccination on the Queen’s Safe Return website.

I also want to make you aware that late last night the provincial government informed us that we will be able to proceed with our plans for in-person instruction this fall. We are not yet sure of the implications for non-academic offerings, such as on-campus dining. Additional information will be provided as we work through the details of the announcement. The government is also expected to make another announcement about vaccination passports. We will inform the community of the impact of all these announcements as we learn more. As always, I want to thank you for your patience and resiliency as we navigate the new challenges of managing our operations during the pandemic.  

Patrick Deane
Principal and Vice-Chancellor