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.