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.

New COVID-19 screening requirement

Friday, November 27, 2020

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


  • Effective November 30, 2020, you must complete a new COVID-19 screening assessment before accessing campus.

The University is updating its COVID-19 screening processes to align with regulations the Ontario government recently announced.

Effective Monday, November 30, 2020, you must complete the new screening questions before accessing campus. You will get an email with a link to the new screening tool when your device connects to the campus wireless network (eduroam) or when you complete the manual Campus Check-In form.

  • If you pass the screening questions, you may access campus, following established safety practices.
  • If you fail the screening questions, you must return home to self-isolate immediately. You will receive a follow up email from the University outlining support resources and next steps.
  • If you do not complete the screening questions upon arriving to campus, you will receive reminders to do so until complete. We will monitor compliance to the screening requirement and your access to campus may be removed if you fail to complete the assessment. 

Protecting your information

Your privacy is important to the University. Policy 46 - Information Management and the Guidelines on Use of Waterloo computing and network resources protect any personally identifying information that eduroam collects. 

Information collected through the new screening tool will be kept on a University database for 30 days before being deleted. The University will not store individual responses to the questions but will track overall “pass/fail” screening results. These results will be shared directly to the University’s Safety Office.

Stay safe

Find more safety information on the health and safety resources web page, the Welcome Back Waterloo guide, and the Campus Check-In website.