After creating vaccination mandates, universities across Canada are pushing online classes further into the winter semester..University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of Lethbridge all announced on Friday that online learning will be extended until after February reading break..Students were told by the universities in fall of 2021 that getting the vaccine was the safest way to proceed, demanding everyone be fully vaccinated to proceed learning in person..Now COVID-19 outbreaks in the vaccinated have the higher education institutions cancelling in person classes for even longer than expected..The vast majority of universities in Canada have banned unvaccinated students from attending in-person classes, only some are allowing those students to continue learning online..University of Lethbridge mandated vaccinations for all students before the end of the fall semester, forcing many to go online mid-semester..Mount Royal University has not made official updates yet, but the university has followed others in most setting similar protocols in the past..Tim Rahilly, MRU President and Vice-Chancellor, send out statements to the student body on January 3 explaining MRU is expected to resume in-person classes on January 24..“We have not made any changes to these plans; however, as the landscape continues to evolve we will reassess and revisit plans in the next two weeks,” said Rahilly..“This includes responding to any public health orders and adjusting should the K-12 education or health sectors make any major changes.”.K-12 classes in Alberta have gone back to in-person regardless of vaccination status. Kids returned to classes Monday..Active cases in Alberta are 81.08% in the fully vaccinated cateory and 17.55% in the unvaccinated,.Ewa Sudyk is a reporter with the Western Standard..,.esudyk@westernstandardonline.com
