Saskatchewan Polytechnic is weighing whether to require vaccination for staff and students this fall..Special adviser to the provost, Dr. Barb Gustafson, told Global News on Monday they are looking at options surrounding vaccine requirements..“At this point, it’s under consideration … we’re still in the process of making that choice,” she said..“Certainly, they need some time to undertake vaccinations or to know that it’s up to them to make that choice. We’re certainly strongly recommending to students and to staff that vaccination is the right path to take..“We just encourage them to do it on their own in the meantime.”.On Friday August 13, the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina announced that students, staff and faculty would need to have both vaccine doses to be on campus. The universities and Sask Polytech will continue to enforce mask requirements..“We want to make a decision that’s right for Sask Polytech. The way we deliver education is different than what a university does,” Gustafson said..“Rather than what people think of for a university with the large lecture halls, we typically have relatively small cohorts of students and they’re working in a very hands-on environment..“We have had students on campus virtually throughout the pandemic under very closely controlled conditions … and did not have any instances where we found that there was transmission through students being on-campus.”.Sask Polytech will continue using a hybrid learning model in 70% of its courses, mixing in-class and remote learning. An equal percentage of the 15,000 students are expected to be on campus this fall, though not necessarily full-time..“We divided our programs basically into two categories that either it was going to be primarily on-campus or primarily online. It may not be all on campus for those who are expected to be there and it may not be all online for those that are where the program has indicated it will be online,” Gustafson said..Gustafson said some students were already on campus in apprentice programs that start earlier than other programs. .“I think the message is we want to get out is that we’re following the advice of the medical authorities. We’re doing our best to keep the safety of our students and staff at the forefront.”.The Saskatchewan Health Authority has partnered with Sask Polytech to host vaccination clinics on its Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon campuses during Welcome Week, August 30 to September 3..In their mandatory vaccine announcements, the universities indicated they would consider exemptions in accordance with Saskatchewan’s Human Rights Code. Paragraph 64 of “General Conscientious objection to immunization” in Saskatchewan’s 1994 Public Health Act, says,.64(1) A person who conscientiously believes that immunization or prophylaxis would be prejudicial to his or her health or to the health of his or her child or ward, or who for conscientious reasons objects to immunization or prophylaxis, may swear or affirm an affidavit to that effect before a justice of the peace, commissioner for oaths or notary public. .(2) A person described in subsection (1) is excused from compliance with any regulation, bylaw or order pursuant to this Act that makes immunization mandatory if the person delivers personally or by registered mail to the local authority for the area in which the person resides a duly attested affidavit described in that subsection..Lee Harding is a Western Standard correspondent based in Saskatchewan.
