Western University mandates COVID-19 booster shots ahead of fall semester

Western University is mandating COVID-19 booster shots for all students, faculty and staff ahead of the fall semester, with proof of vaccination required by October 1, 2022.

Masks will also be mandatory in all classrooms and seminar rooms.

The school says it updated its vaccination policy to include booster shots on August 22, 2022.

“At a minimum, all students, faculty, staff and some visitors to campus are required to have been vaccinated and have one booster shot (generally, three doses in total) of any combination of COVID-19 vaccines recognized by Health Canada,” the university said on Monday.

“Students living in residence will need to get their booster dose before moving in. However, Western will offer a two-week grace period — and easy access to the campus vaccination clinic — for those students unable to get a booster before they arrive.”

In a release Monday, the school boasted that its strict policies pertaining to COVID-19 vaccinations resulted in a 99 per cent vaccination rate on campus last year.

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“This decision supports the safety of our students, employees and our community with the goal of preserving our in-person experience,” said Dr. Sonya Malone, Western’s occupational health physician.

“The last school year showed us that our campus community was on board with the masking and vaccination policy, which was the key to successfully completing the fall and winter terms in person.”

The mandatory mask policy goes into effect on September 1.

“While we can’t predict when the next wave of COVID-19 might come, we believe these measures will help us protect the in-person experience that Western is known for,” said provost Florentine Strzelczyk, in a statement posted to the university’s website announcing the updated policy.

Students living in residence who do not have a booster before they arrive will be offered a two-week “grace period” and “easy access” to a campus vaccination clinic, the university said.

The University of Toronto announced earlier in the month that it was reinstating a vaccination requirement for those living in its residences and updating it to mandate at least one booster shot.

It also recommended all others on campus stay “up-to-date” on COVID-19 vaccinations.