St. Clair College releases vaccination policy for students in residence, varsity sports
College encourages all staff, students to receive vaccine but not mandating policy for most
St. Clair College updated its vaccine policy for students set to attend campus' this fall, and it requires those in residence or playing varsity sports to receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
On Tuesday, a communication went out to students about the policy that St. Clair said was designed in partnership with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and Chatham-Kent Public Health. The school has a campus in both Windsor and Chatham.
"For months and months we've been working on what the policy's going to be," said John Fairley, vice president of College and Community Relations at St. Clair College.
"We certainly are not the first to announce anything in the college system in Ontario or the universities in Ontario, Canada, and we certainly won't be the last."
The University of Ottawa and Seneca College have both said all students, faculty and staff must be vaccinated to be on campus. They are the only schools in Ontario to have taken that position.
At St. Clair, the policy requires any student staying in residence on campus to have received at least one dose of a Health Canada or World Health Organization approved COVID-19 vaccine before moving in. Similarly, any students participating in varsity athletics will also be required to have at least one dose.
Both groups of students must receive a second dose "within the required minimum period and provide proof that they have done so," according to the school's website.
However, Fairley said the college will work with any students who have a medical exemption for not receiving the vaccine.
Fairley said the school's policy is in line with what many other post-secondary academic institutions in Ontario are implementing, as well as the governing bodies for sports.
Meanwhile, the University of Windsor said Wednesday there is no change to their current policy. Right now, the university is not requiring any students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.