Mandatory vaccines will be needed for students planning to return to campus starting in January of 2022. Declaration of inoculation status will be required through the Safe@MacEwan app, which can be used for both Apple and Android devices. MacEwan University’s president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Annette Trimbee, sent an email to students and staff stating that “We (at MacEwan) believe that vaccination against COVID-19 is a critical part of ensuring our campus is safe for everyone.”

In a media release from today, Sept. 13, nine post-secondary institutions from Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, including MacEwan and U of A, have announced that “(they are) building on previously announced measures by strengthening the role that vaccinations will play on post-secondary campuses moving forward.”

To ease into these new health and safety guidelines, MacEwan will make vaccines accessible for students by scheduling on campus vaccination clinics for Sept. 14 and Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Building 6, room 6-106. Furthermore, campus-wide COVID testing will begin in early October for unvaccinated individuals, and remain in place for the remainder of the Fall term.

By Winter 2022, all staff, visitors, and students must have two doses of the COVID vaccine, as stated by the media release from MacEwan. Proof of negative tests will not be accepted to attend campus grounds, as the rapid testing will not be available to students and faculty, but the MacEwan website states that testing will still be available to those who cannot be inoculated due to medical or protected grounds, as part of the Alberta Human Rights act.

MacEwan has also announced a new incentive to encourage students to get their vaccine. According to the MacEwan website, students who are fully inoculated are now eligible to win one of five tuition waivers for the Fall 2021 and Winter 2022 term. To be eligible, a student must be able to verify that they’ve been fully vaccinated before Oct. 31, and be enrolled in either a full- or part-time undergraduate program. Students can apply for this draw through myStudentSystem.Students and staff can also book their vaccines through pharmacies, the Alberta Health Services website, and by calling the 811-health link. For more information on MacEwan’s vaccine mandate visit MacEwan.ca/Coronavirus.