The University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University have updated their back-to-school safety plans and students, faculty, and staff who do not show proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be tested..“Thank you all for your patience,” writes Joy Johnson, President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser University on Thursday..“I am heartened by the public health announcements of the past week and am confident we are taking the necessary steps to make our campuses safe.”.The public health announcements that Johnson is “heartened” by includes forced masking at all indoor spaces and vaccine passports which will require everyone over the age of 12 to provide proof of vaccination in order to access restaurants, gyms, sporting events, and more..While UBC and SFU students can still choose not to provide proof of vaccination given they are tested, those living on-campus will be required to provide proof..Last week, a professor at UBC told the Western Standard the call for vaccine passports are “not science based at all.”.“You have to look at what the actual risk of COVID-19 is. The chances of dying from COVID is about .003% for people under the age of 24 in Canada,” said Dr. Steven Pelech, Division of Neurology in the Department of Medicine at UBC, and Senate Representative for Faculty of Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies..Some, however, are stomping their feet in demand of an unconditional vaccine passport, claiming that they will not feel “safe” without it..Michael Byers – who holds the Canadian research chair in global politics and international law at UBC – took to Twitter on Tuesday, saying he will not teach 100 students in a lecture room without a “vaccine mandate.”.“I am confident that both the science and the law support me on this. I am willing to teach online, like last year,” Byers wrote..Reid Small is a BC correspondent for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
The University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University have updated their back-to-school safety plans and students, faculty, and staff who do not show proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be tested..“Thank you all for your patience,” writes Joy Johnson, President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser University on Thursday..“I am heartened by the public health announcements of the past week and am confident we are taking the necessary steps to make our campuses safe.”.The public health announcements that Johnson is “heartened” by includes forced masking at all indoor spaces and vaccine passports which will require everyone over the age of 12 to provide proof of vaccination in order to access restaurants, gyms, sporting events, and more..While UBC and SFU students can still choose not to provide proof of vaccination given they are tested, those living on-campus will be required to provide proof..Last week, a professor at UBC told the Western Standard the call for vaccine passports are “not science based at all.”.“You have to look at what the actual risk of COVID-19 is. The chances of dying from COVID is about .003% for people under the age of 24 in Canada,” said Dr. Steven Pelech, Division of Neurology in the Department of Medicine at UBC, and Senate Representative for Faculty of Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies..Some, however, are stomping their feet in demand of an unconditional vaccine passport, claiming that they will not feel “safe” without it..Michael Byers – who holds the Canadian research chair in global politics and international law at UBC – took to Twitter on Tuesday, saying he will not teach 100 students in a lecture room without a “vaccine mandate.”.“I am confident that both the science and the law support me on this. I am willing to teach online, like last year,” Byers wrote..Reid Small is a BC correspondent for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
