Important deadlines for vaccine verification and rapid testing program

Sent on behalf of Phil Warsaba, Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President, Students

Wednesday, September 29 at 5 p.m.

This email clarifies Mount Royals vaccination verification and rapid testing deadlines. Please read the contents carefully, as important dates that affect you are approaching.

If you are partially or fully vaccinated:

Verify your vaccine status as soon as possible

To comply with the provincial government’s proof of vaccination requirements and to continue to be allowed to access campus in person, you must upload verification of your partial or full vaccinated status through the MRU Now safety app no later than Oct. 4.  Don’t wait until this deadline to submit proof, as your submission requires review. Read more about downloading and using this app.

If you still require your second dose:

Your deadline to be fully immunized is Nov. 1, 2021

In accordance with public health orders, you are required to be fully vaccinated no later than Nov. 1, 2021 to access campus in person for any reason. This means you:

  • have received a second dose of a World Health Organization (WHO)-approved COVID-19 vaccine, plus two weeks, to be considered immunized.

To meet this deadline, you must receive your second dose no later than Oct. 18, 2021. Those who do not meet this requirement will be placed in the rapid testing program and may be responsible for associated costs of those rapid tests.

Note that those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unvaccinated are not considered immunized as per the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

If you are participating in the rapid testing program:

Rapid testing program ends Jan.1, 2022

After Jan.1, 2022, rapid testing will no longer be an option for employees or students seeking access to the University. As a result, all individuals must be fully vaccinated to attend campus in person beginning in the Winter term. For students participating in the rapid testing program, MRU will no longer provide free rapid testing as of Nov. 1, 2021. Those in the rapid testing program will be able to access rapid tests on campus in G100 at their own cost until the end of the fall semester.

Reminders:

  • Unvaccinated students may not attend campus without proof of an approved medical exemption or a negative rapid test.
  • If you are unvaccinated, you are required to participate in the rapid testing program, providing proof of negative test results every Sunday and Wednesday evening, before attending campus the following day. If you do not complete your test, do not attend campus.
  • Follow all health measures affecting campus and wear a mask at all times, with limited exceptions like eating in designated areas.
  • Stay home if you are unwell.
  • Socially distance by two metres where possible. Learning environments, including classrooms, lecture halls, research facilities and laboratories, are exempt from distancing requirements.

Compliance

In addition to internal controls for vaccination verification and rapid testing occurring daily, MRU is adding additional on-campus checkpoints for verification at the time of service. The Riddell Library and Learning Centre, Cougars Campus Store, Recreation and food service locations are examples of these checkpoints.

Thank you to the overwhelming majority of students who have confirmed their vaccination status and, where applicable, have verified their status using the MRU Now app. We sincerely appreciate your commitment to the health and well-being of our campus community.