Message to students about mandatory vaccinations
The following message was sent to students via their @upei.ca email addresses on August 24, 2021.
Dear Students,
The University of Prince Edward Island is excited to safely welcome you back to campus this fall. Although we will offer a much more “in-person” experience this academic year, we remain very mindful that the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and continues to evolve in unpredictable ways. With the rapid increase in the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in recent weeks, UPEI has reviewed its COVID-19 guidance and has therefore instituted a new directive regarding mandatory vaccinations so that our campus is as safe as possible.
UPEI will now require that all faculty, staff, and students be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021.
Students are strongly encouraged to obtain their vaccination in their home communities prior to arrival on the UPEI campus. If you are unable to do so or remain unvaccinated due to medical, cultural, or religious reasons, you will still be able to study at UPEI. However, you will need to disclose this information to UPEI by September 13, 2021, to our UPEI Health and Wellness Centre at vaccine@upei.ca, undergo weekly COVID-19 testing, submit test results also to vaccine@upei.ca, and wear a mask at all times.
The UPEI Health and Wellness Centre, in collaboration with the PEI Chief Public Health Office (PEI-CPHO), is offering an on-campus COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on September 10, 2021, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in McMillan Hall at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre to accommodate students, faculty, and staff who have been unable to access a first and/or second dose of a vaccine. If you are already a resident of PEI, you can access information about the Government of Prince Edward Island’s vaccination program on its website.
While mandatory vaccinations are an additional line of defence against COVID-19, it is not the only measure we need to employ. I strongly encourage students to wear masks and to practice enhanced health, safety, and hygiene practices. As the pandemic continues to evolve, we may need to further update our health and safety guidance in concert with the PEI-CPHO. We will continue to update you as soon as information becomes available.
We recognize how this situation may be stressful for you, especially as we near the first day of classes. Please remember that UPEI has several supports for students through UPEI Student Affairs, including personal counselling (studentserv@upei.ca), Accessibility Services (studentserv@upei.ca), and the International Student Office (irostu@upei.ca). We encourage you to reach out for support.
If you have any questions, please email registrar@upei.ca. I look forward to seeing you on our beautiful UPEI campus this September!
Sincerely,
Donna Sutton
Associate Vice-President of Students and Registrar
