Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
A message from Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor and James W.E. Rush, Vice-President, Academic & Provost
As you may be aware, though we recently extended our proof of vaccination requirement until the end of the Winter term, the University will not require proof of vaccination in order to come to campus from May 1, onwards.
However, as has been the case throughout the pandemic, the evolution of the virus and the course of disease activity are difficult to predict. The University has made it clear that it may be necessary to bring back the proof of vaccination requirement at short notice. If a proof of vaccination requirement is reinstated at a future date, all employees and students would have to have a valid proof of vaccination on file in order to be permitted to come to campus.
To ensure that you can keep learning and working without interruption if it is necessary to bring back the proof of vaccination requirement, you are being asked to submit your most up-to-date proof of vaccination in our new Campus Check-in tool – starting today. Information you submitted before today will not be used in the new system, so you must take action to upload your QR code proof as soon as possible.
Please provide your up-to-date vaccination status and update your record if your status changes, for example if you get a booster dose. The new system requires that you must supply a valid Canadian or Ontario vaccination certificate with QR code. Thus, you should submit your proof of vaccination even if you have previously submitted information to the University.
Our new Campus Check-in tool allows you to see the status of your submission, making it easy to see if you have provided the right documentation, if your submission has been accepted and approved, and update your information if your immunization status changes.
You can obtain an Ontario vaccine certificate with QR code even if you did not receive immunizations in Canada by registering with Region of Waterloo Public Health. This process can take up to 21 days, so act now if you need to apply for a QR code.
Messaging to the public from health authorities throughout the pandemic has been consistent: vaccination offers the best protection against the worst effects of COVID-19 and its variants and is the most important way to protect public health. For this reason, we continue to strongly recommend that you have a full course of vaccination, including third or fourth doses when you are eligible.
As always, the University treats private personal information very carefully and in accordance with all applicate legislation. You can read more about how we use the information you submit in our Notice of Collection.
If the University does reinstate a requirement to provide proof of vaccination to come to our campuses, the institution will be subject to the duty to accommodate pursuant to the Human Rights Code. If you are unable to be vaccinated for reasons related to a ground protected under the Human Rights Code, you may submit a written request for accommodation with an explanation of the reasons and/or any supporting documentation at that time.
If you have questions about how to submit your proof, please check our Frequently Asked Questions on the COVID-19 information website or email coronavirus@uwaterloo.ca. International students should reach out to the International Student Experience team ise@uwaterloo.ca to ensure their vaccine and/or quarantine requirements are met.