This update is provided for archival purposes only.

Public Health guidance and University of Waterloo operations may have changed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our COVID-19 frequently asked questions.

Introducing changes to campus check-in and PPE

Thursday, March 4, 2021

This message was originally sent to employees by the director of safety, Kate Windsor.

  • We are making some changes to safety protocols for people who come to campus.
  • If anyone in your household has symptoms of COVID-19 or is waiting for COVID test results, you must self-isolate and not come to campus.
  • You may need wear medical grade masks if you can’t maintain physical distancing while you work.

As public health guidance has changed, we are updaing two safety protocols that affect anyone coming to campus.

Stay home if anyone in your house has symptoms

The COVID-19 Campus Check-In self-assessment now includes the question: Does anyone in your household have COVID-19 symptoms or is anyone in your household waiting for test results after experiencing symptoms?

If you answer yes to this question, as with any other question in the self-assessment, you will fail the screening. This means you must self-isolate and contact your health care provider or Occupational Health.

In short – if anyone in your home has COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19 or is waiting for test results, you must stay home and self-isolate until you have been told when you may return to work.

Some employees may need medical grade masks

As of March 1, 2021 new requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) are in place for workplaces and instructional areas.

Supervisors and instructors are responsible for identifying and providing appropriate PPE to employees and students and for communicating changes to PPE requirements for specific tasks. Here’s what we all need to know:

  • Non-medical masks or coverings are good when you can keep a physical distance of two metres from your co-workers. This type of protection is called General Protective Equipment (GPE).
  • You need to wear a medical grade mask  if you must work less than 2 m from others for more than 15 minutes cumulatively or 5 minutes continuously, and there is no plexiglass barrier.
  • If you must ride in a vehicle with others, a medical mask is required for any duration of travel.

Your supervisor will make sure you have the right mask for your work. You do not need to buy your own medical grade masks if you need one. Medical masks for employee use must be minimum ASTM Level II certified.

If you only need to wear a non-medical mask, you can continue to wear your own mask, if you choose. Please make sure that your mask is is made of two or three layers of tightly woven material and that covers your nose, mouth and chin.

You can find the full PPE guidelines on the COVID-19 website for more details on how to assess protective equipment needs.

These protocol updates keep us in line with the latest recommendations and requirements from the Ministry of Health and are in place to keep campus safe.

Thank you for continued work to protect yourselves and each other.