A team of Queen’s staff and student volunteers went door-to-door in the university district neighbourhoods on Sept. 8-10, welcoming students who have returned to Queen’s and Kingston.

Team members shared information on COVID-19 safety and resources, reminded students to fill out the university’s online vaccination status declaration form, and promoted the availability of vaccines.

Through an ongoing partnership with Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health, the mobile vaccination clinic bus was parked at Earl and Aberdeen streets, and 128 COVID-19 vaccinations were given to students as part of this initiative.

Team members also handed out welcome kits filled with important information related to COVID-19 as well as living in Kingston.

Mary Ann Tierney, Manager, Student Community Relations, Student Affairs, who led the initiative, says that her experience speaking with students was extremely positive.

“The students were genuinely grateful that we were stopping by to say hello, check-in, and to see if they had questions regarding living off-campus or regarding local by-laws,” she says, adding that she and her colleagues connected with approximately 1,000 students over the three days. “A common theme that kept coming up during our conversations is that students are very happy to be back in the classroom for in-person learning.”

The Queen’s team partnered with City of Kingston by-law enforcement. Several by-law staff joined the walkabouts and helped provide further details about specific by-laws related to large gatherings, provincial regulations, property standards, and other questions from students. Also taking part were university partners from Student Wellness Services, the Human Rights and Equity Office, Off-Campus Living, and Athletics & Recreation.

As they made their way along near-campus streets, team members had many frank conversations with students. Students were also able to ask any questions about the 2021-22 academic year and university resources the university provides.

“It is very important that our students are aware of and understand their responsibilities as not only members of the Queen’s community but of the Kingston community,” says Lindsay Winger, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Support Services and Community Engagement. “As we continue to make our way through the pandemic, it’s important that we work together, stay informed, and help everyone stay safe and healthy.”

A total of 600 welcome kits were distributed and included the Off-Campus Student Living Guide, the City of Kingston’s waste sorting guide, 400 garbage bag tags from Waste Management, along with donated goodies from Student Wellness Services, Human Rights and Equity Office, Student Experience Office, Campus Book Store, and KFL&A Public Health.

The Off-Campus Student Living Guide helps connect students to all of the services and supports available from the university. It also helps them understand how to play a positive role in the community during the pandemic. The guide covers a wide variety of topics, including tips on staying informed, getting engaged in the community, keeping the community safe, and exploring Kingston.  

To learn more about visit the websites below:
Student Community Relations
Safe Return to Campus website

Over 6,000 more Queen’s community members declared their vaccination status this week, bringing the total number of students and employees reporting to over 32,200.

Employees comprise 5,600 of those who have filled out the required form — 96 per cent of whom are fully vaccinated and another 2.7 per cent partially vaccinated.

More than 26,600 students have declared their vaccination status, with 93.7 per cent reporting full vaccination and another 4.7 per cent partially vaccinated.

Only 1.4 per cent of students and 1.1 per cent of employees have stated they are not vaccinated. Individuals within the Queen’s community must submit their Vaccination Status Declaration Form no later than Sept. 13, 2021.

With the fall academic term set to start, the provincial government has announced important updates to its Postsecondary Educational Health Measures Framework for Fall 2021 to support the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff.

Effective Sept. 7, 2021, universities and colleges will not be subject to physical distancing or capacity limit requirements for indoor instructional spaces, including classrooms, labs, libraries, and in-person experiential learning etc. This change allows Queen’s to proceed with our detailed plans for in-person academic activities throughout the fall term.

At the same time, all members of the Queen’s community must be aware that this change applies only to indoor instructional activities. In outdoor instructional spaces, capacity limits apply and physical distancing of at least two metres from everyone else is still required, except for necessary teaching and instruction that cannot be effectively provided with physical distancing.

All other requirements under Step 3 of the Roadmap for Reopening Ontario remain in place on university property indefinitely. This includes mandatory masking in all indoor settings, maintaining physical distancing in all indoor areas open to the public, and adherence to the current limit on outdoor gatherings and public events to a maximum of 100 people.

The framework also confirms that students will be allowed to live in residences and other on-campus accommodations as planned with some restrictions, including masking, capacity level limits in some common areas, and reduced in-person programs and activities.

The university is seeking more guidance from the province on how the framework updates may impact the many dining and restaurant facilities on campus.

Other restrictions on campus services that will remain in place under Step 3 include capacity limits at the Athletics and Recreation Centre, as well as on campus museums and performance venues, such as the Agnes Etherington Art Centre and the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Some non-essential retail services may be increasing service in the coming days. Please check the relevant service websites for up-to-date information.

Mandatory vaccination and provincial passport

Along with the updated framework, the provincial government is also requiring universities and colleges to implement mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone taking part in university activities in person. Today Queen’s launched a vaccination status declaration form for students, faculty, and staff to complete as soon as possible. More information and a link to the declaration form are now available on the Safe Return to Campus website.

Queen’s is also seeking guidance from the provincial government about the new vaccination certification system it announced. Under the plan, in order to access certain high-risk indoor public settings and facilities, Ontarians will need to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 22, 2021 and provide proof of their vaccination, along with photo ID. The province will follow this up with the introduction of a digital vaccination receipt that features a QR code and a new app for businesses and organizations to verify full vaccination.

Queen’s will share more information of this certification system and how it might support university operations as more details become available.

For more information on Queen’s ongoing efforts to prioritize the health and safety of everyone in the Queen’s and Kingston communities, visit the Safe Return to Campus website.

The health and safety of the Queen’s and Kingston communities remains our highest priority. Recently, all universities and colleges in Ontario received a letter from the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health (COMOH), recommending mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies at all post-secondary institutions across the 34 Public Health regions in the province. Building upon our previous announcement and in response to these recommendations, Queen’s University is joining other universities and colleges in Ontario in implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements for all individuals (students, staff, faculty, contractors, and visitors) participating in university activities in person, either on Queen’s campus or other Queen’s property.

All individuals who are participating in university activities in person must attest to receiving their first dose of a Health Canada- or World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccine before they come to campus via an online tool, which is expected to be launched by Sept. 1, and must receive their final required dose of vaccine no later than Oct. 15, 2021.

Individuals will also be required to upload proof of their vaccination status via the online tool. More information about how to access the tool and how to provide proof of vaccination status will be announced in the coming days. Individuals coming to campus prior to Sept. 1 are expected to comply with this mandatory vaccination direction.

Any individual who requires an accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code with respect to vaccination status must formally request such an accommodation and provide supporting documentation. All individuals who are not fully vaccinated due to an approved accommodated need or who are awaiting their second or final dose are required to adhere to additional health and safety measures, including, but not limited to, twice weekly rapid testing.

Individuals are not considered fully vaccinated until 14 days after their second and/or final dose of a vaccine protocol. Questions regarding vaccine status should be directed to an individual’s local public health office. Until full vaccination status is reached, individuals must adhere to additional health and safety measures.

Unvaccinated individuals without an approved accommodation will not be able to attend campus or participate in any university activity in person.

This update recognizes that vaccination against COVID-19 remains the single most effective public health measure to reduce the spread of the virus. We will continue to work closely with public health officials and stress adherence to all other public health measures. We will continue to adapt our requirements as public health recommendations evolve.

Queen’s is facilitating access to vaccines starting the week of Sept. 1 with a pop-up clinic at Richardson Stadium, however we encourage all members of the Queen’s community to receive vaccinations as soon as possible as they are widely available. Find a vaccination clinic near you in Ontario or contact your local public health unit, if elsewhere.

International students travelling to Canada with questions can get more information about their vaccine regime on the Student Wellness Services website. It is important that individuals receiving vaccines outside of Canada contact public health for information on additional COVID-19 vaccines that may be required as well as any timing concerns for receiving those vaccines in order to be considered fully vaccinated. 

Students in the health professions (medicine, nursing, rehabilitation therapy) will receive information from their programs about additional requirements.

Students, faculty, and staff who are engaged in research activity off campus, including field and in-person human participant research, are also subject to the mandatory vaccination requirement. Additional details will be available on the Vice-Principal (Research) website.

For more information regarding Queen’s response to COVID-19, please visit the Safe Return to Campus website.