Thank you everyone for your continued commitment to keeping the Tyndale community safe and well through this pandemic. It is a rapidly changing context and even within this past week additional developments have created a need to further adapt our policies and procedures.
With the increasing risk of the COVID–19 Delta variant, and recommendations from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health and the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health, Tyndale University will be requiring everyone who will be on campus to be vaccinated with a Health Canada approved vaccine. Exemptions based on medical, religious, conscientious or other protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code will be accommodated.
Students and employees need fair notice to comply or make alternative arrangements, therefore, students and employees who will be on campus must have their first dose by September 17 and have their second dose completed by October 31. At this time we are asking students and employees to self-declare rather than having to provide proof of vaccination.
The vaccine requirement is in addition to existing protocols and is intended to protect the Tyndale community and to support public health efforts to protect the community at large.
Tyndale continues to implement its Rapid Antigen Screening program which began August 23. Students and employees who are on campus, vaccinated or not, will complete two rapid antigen screens per week. Evidence demonstrates vaccinated individuals are able to spread the Delta variant. This regular screening program protects the families of students and employees who are unable to be vaccinated, and allows everyone to participate in community. Tyndale is receiving the rapid antigen screening kits at no cost, enabling this additional layer of precaution.
When students describe Tyndale, something that is unanimously referenced is the community. The community is what sets Tyndale apart; it is the Tyndale experience. How does a community care for each other? Everyone in the community matters, vaccinated and unvaccinated. In our community there are those who are unable to get vaccinated or have family members who are unable to do so. By going beyond the minimum requirement, we better enable our community to come together again. For Tyndale, it is not a question of incentivizing vaccination or making those who are vaccinated do something they don’t have to do elsewhere, it is about providing an additional layer of protection so everyone can fully participate in community. The Tyndale experience – the community – is what drives us to go above and beyond, to love our neighbour.
Once again, thank you for all you are doing and the many ways you have adapted to the changing needs throughout the COVID–19 pandemic.