Latest Covid-19 Updates
Dear students, faculty and staff,
Today Dalhousie circulated the memo below containing updated vaccination data from Campus Check, on-campus rapid testing data, and revised procedures for communicating Covid precaution notifications. This information is relevant to the King’s community. We ask you to review it carefully.
In particular, please note the procedural updates that come into effect on October 29 for communicating low-risk precaution notifications shared with Dalhousie from Nova Scotia Public Health. This section includes a link to the exposures page on Dalhousie’s Covid-19 website, and we urge all members of the King’s community, particularly those spending time on Dalhousie’s campus, to check this page often.
It is encouraging to learn that 98.6% of the King’s community who report being on campus for work or study are fully vaccinated. This is emblematic of the care for one another the King’s community has shown throughout the pandemic and it is inseparable from the safe return to campus we have enjoyed so far—a safe return we continue to work for collectively, each day.
Regular testing remains an important part of these efforts. King’s self-swab screening clinic continues its operations. The screening clinic’s hours, location and a link to the locations of testing and screening clinics operated by Dalhousie and by the Nova Scotia Public Health Authority can be found here.
Finally, a reminder that masks continue to be available at King’s A&A Reception and from Dalhousie’s testing sites for anyone who needs one.
Sincerely,
Katie Merwin
Dean of Students
Sarah Clift
Vice-President
Bonnie Sands
Bursar
To: The Dalhousie University community
From: Frank Harvey, Provost and Vice-President Academic
Jasmine Walsh, Assistant-Vice President Human Resources
Date: Thursday, October 21, 2021
Re: COVID update: Campus Check data, precaution notification procedures
The following memo includes updates on:
After launching on September 8, more than 24,000 members of our shared Dalhousie and King’s community have completed their Campus Check. Our thanks to everyone for their participation in this vital part of our overall health and safety plan.
Combined, 97.2% of Dalhousie and King’s students, faculty and staff who have confirmed they will be on campus are fully vaccinated. For comparison, in Nova Scotia more broadly 83.6% of those who are eligible to be vaccinated were fully vaccinated as of October 9.
The following data reflect Dalhousie students, faculty and staff who have identified through Campus Check that they intend to be on campus this fall. These numbers are up-to-date as of October 20 and will be updated on our COVID-19 website on a regular basis going forward.
| # on campus | Rate of full vaccination | |
| Students | 16,298 | 97.0% |
| Faculty | 1,610 | 98.7% |
| Staff | 3,908 | 97.4% |
| TOTAL | 21,816 | 97.2% |
Our colleagues at the University of King’s College report similar numbers: 98.6% of those who are on campus are fully vaccinated.
As Campus Check completion rates increase, vaccination percentages have remained remarkably consistent — we have not seen any decline in vaccination status as more and more people have completed the Campus Check process. This gives us increased confidence that these results are reflective of the overall vaccination status of our Dalhousie community. We thank our students, faculty and staff for stepping up to get vaccinated and for helping to keep one another safe.
A total of 613 Dalhousie individuals (492 students, 21 faculty, 100 staff) have identified through Campus Check that they are on-campus but are not fully vaccinated or preferred not to disclose. These individuals are receiving instructions on their required twice-weekly testing and reporting their results through the Campus Check software. Individuals who were not fully vaccinated when they first completed their Campus Check, but who subsequently do get fully vaccinated, are able to provide their proof of vaccination at any point through the Campus Check software and their testing requirement will cease.
The university continues to follow up with individuals who are not in compliance with the Campus Check process. Suitable consequences (including suspended access to our campuses) are being explored for all of those who haven’t complied in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct and contracts of employment with the University including collective agreements and handbooks.
Since the end of August, more than 30,000 rapid tests have been performed or distributed on campus through Dalhousie’s asymptomatic rapid testing program — part of Nova Scotia Public Health’s workplace testing initiative.
A week-by-week breakdown of testing data is available on the COVID-19 website and will be updated on a regular basis. You can also read about the testing program in last week’s Dal News feature and learn more about how to get tested.
Dalhousie is updating our procedures for communicating low-risk precaution notifications that are shared with us from Nova Scotia Public Health — making this information readily available online but limiting mass email notices to close-contact exposures only. With most of the Dal community fully vaccinated and with the support of our multi-layer safety plan including continued masking, ventilation reviews, and other measures, the risk to our community from these precaution exposures is very low.
These new procedures will be effective Friday, October 29.
What a precaution notification means
A precaution notification means Public Health has identified a potential exposure with minimal risk to those in the space. This is different than what Public Health refers to as an exposure notification, where there has been potential close contact with a person with COVID-19.
If you were at a precaution notification location, no action is required if you are fully vaccinated except to continue to monitor for symptoms as you normally would. Testing or self-isolation is only required if you develop symptoms — though we welcome and encourage you to take advantage of on-campus rapid testing if you do not have symptoms.
If you are not fully vaccinated, a PCR (lab) test is recommended at least 72 hours after you were at the precaution exposure site. Tests can be done at a local COVID-19 testing site. You do not need to self-isolate if you do not have symptoms.
For more information on different exposure levels and health guidance, as well as Nova Scotia’s definition of fully vaccinated, please review Nova Scotia Public Health’s guide, I have been at an exposure location, now what?
How Dal will communicate campus precaution notifications going forward
From October 29 until further notice:
We will be promoting the exposures page regularly through all major university communications channels, including Today@Dal, the Dal News Weekly, the Dal Student Life newsletter, university social media accounts, the DalSAFE app and others as required. We encourage everyone to visit the exposures page regularly — this is particularly important if you are not fully vaccinated, given the recommendation to get tested if you are at a precaution location.
For close-contact exposure notifications, Dalhousie will continue to engage directly with those who may be affected based on the direction of Public Health. Where direct contacts may not be known, these notifications may also be communicated to broader groups of students, faculty and staff where required.
Learn more about Campus Check, on-campus testing, exposure notifications and Dalhousie’s COVID-19 safety plan at the COVID-19 Updates and Information website.
Sincerely,
Frank Harvey
Provost and Vice-President Academic
Jasmine Walsh
Assistant Vice-President Human Resources
Dear King’s Community,
Throughout the pandemic, King’s has worked closely with food service provider Chartwells to ensure that the high standard of meals students rightly expect continues, and that the experience of dining in Prince Hall is consistently safe, comfortable, and enjoyable.
Following the changes introduced by the province as part of Phase 5, King’s and Chartwells have agreed to adjust certain restrictions guiding the delivery of dining services in Prince Hall. We want to reassure students, their families and supporters, that operations in Prince Hall continue to work within and in fact often exceed current directives from Nova Scotia Public Health.
Effective October 18, we will welcome patrons from outside the King’s residence community to dine in Prince Hall. This includes King’s faculty, staff, off-campus students, and members of the public if they are fully vaccinated. To introduce this change safely and acting in conjunction with Nova Scotia Department of Health guidelines, the following provisions will apply:
We are confident that this change marks a positive step forward in our shared efforts to safely offer students a thriving campus community, now where the hospitality we enjoy as a residence community can be shared with others.
Sincerely,
Daniel Orovec (he/him)
Dining Services Director
Katie Merwin (she/her)
Dean of Students
Dear King’s Community,
The province of Nova Scotia recently implemented its proof of vaccination policy. As a reminder, this policy only applies to post-secondary institutions when they host an event or activity that includes the general public. All those who attend campus regularly—that is, students, faculty and staff—are safeguarded by the vaccination and testing requirement we share with Dalhousie, in combination with King’s Central Safety Plan [PDF].
As campus life steadily resumes, an increasing number of activities and events that welcome the public are in development. Clarity on what is expected from visitors to campus is important to ensure these events are as safe and successful as possible. As part of King’s ongoing efforts to support and comply with Nova Scotia Public Health, everyone other than students, faculty and staff will need to show proof of vaccination when visiting campus, including but not limited to athletics activities, campus tours, delivery of vendor services, public theatrical performances, eat-in food service, collecting take-out from the Galley, or when attending special events and public guest lectures. The Chapel’s services are not affected, however, for weddings and funerals attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination. This reflects an approved recommendation provided by the Occupational Health & Safety Committee, and King’s Central Safety Plan has been updated to reflect this.
Sincerely,
Bill
Dear King’s Students,
With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching this weekend, and the Fall Study Break taking place November 8–12, you may be considering travel plans to visit family and friends. We hope you will be able to celebrate and socialize safely while following the necessary Public Health protocols, including the difficult choice to avoid travel in some cases.
Below are important reminders on current restrictions (subject to change):
As of October 4, everyone who travels from anywhere outside Nova Scotia (including from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) needs to complete the Safe Check-in Form and may need to self-isolate when they arrive in or return to the province, based on vaccination status. Testing is also encouraged after travel, and in some cases required.
New Brunswick is seeing a surge in cases. As of October 8 at 6 pm, non-essential travel to parts of New Brunswick is not allowed.
If you have Covid symptoms, complete a Covid-19 Self-Assessment online to be screened for testing – if you feel unwell, do not travel. If you don’t have symptoms, stop by our Screening Clinic on campus for a self-swab test in person with a volunteer or take one home.
Please remember that indoor gathering limits remains at 25, and that safe socializing helps protect yourself and those around you. You can also check the potential exposure sites, which Public Health updates regularly.
As we head into the long weekend, take some time to relax and celebrate your achievements from the first month of term. Keep up the good work! Thank you for following current Public Health guidelines and for all you do to take care of one another.
Don’t forget there are health and wellness supports available if you or a friend are ever in need.
I wish you and your loved ones a healthy, happy long weekend.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Katie
Katie Merwin
Dean of Students
Dear students, faculty and staff,
The province is implementing a proof of vaccination policy effective today, October 4. The provincewide proof of vaccination policy does not apply to post-secondary institutions unless we are hosting an event or activity that will include the participation of the general public. In all other circumstances we continue to be governed by King’s central safety plan [PDF].
Elements within our community that invite the public will be taking the following measures:
The Library, Wardroom and the public functions within Athletics will each begin requesting proof of vaccination and ID to the best of their ability – beginning on Monday. The Registrar’s Office will do the same for its campus tours.
The Chapel’s services are not affected, however, for weddings and funerals attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination. The Galley will remain open for public take-out.
Audiences for public theatrical and choral performances will also be required to show proof of vaccination.
The province provides helpful information about their new protocols.
Our Occupational Health and Safety Committee is still considering the details of how this new provincial requirement will apply to King’s and our campus events and activities. Further information will be shared as it becomes available.
Thank you for your cooperation as we continue to adapt to the changing environment and the province’s new vaccine policy.
Sincerely,
Bill
William Lahey
President and Vice-Chancellor
Dear students, faculty and staff,
After nearly a full month back on campus, there is much to feel positive about. The plans that have safely guided our return to campus have proven invaluable tools in our ongoing efforts to live and learn in community together, and in safety.
The Central Safety Plan includes the provision that “The mandatory use of masks may be reinstated or extended for specific circumstances.”
Considering increasing Covid-19 case numbers in Nova Scotia, King’s is extending its non-medical mask requirement to December 31, 2021. This decision has been made in full support of the recommendation provided by the Occupational Health and Safety Committee. It is hoped that the ongoing mask requirement will help to ensure the safety of our campus community to the end of term and support a more comfortable experience on campus for all, particularly with the onset of flu season.
Additionally, please read the memo below circulated this afternoon by Dalhousie outlining their mask extension to December 31 and other COVID updates.
Please be reminded that in addition to Dalhousie’s on-campus testing centre, King’s is operating a self-swab screening clinic, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursdays—11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and Fridays—1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the KTS lecture hall on the second floor of the New Academic Building. Participants must wait for their results for 15 minutes after self-swabbing. The screening clinic is only available to King’s students, faculty and staff who are asymptomatic (without any Covid symptoms). Screening is free and no appointment is necessary. Take-home self-swab tests are also available.
If you have Covid symptoms, please do not use the screening clinic. If you have symptoms, please stay at home and contact 811 to arrange for a test at a Public Health testing center or book a test online.
We remind you that masks are now available at King’s A&A Reception and at Dal’s testing sites for those who may need one.
Thank you for your ongoing cooperation in this ever-changing landscape, and we ask that you continue to offer one another the care and support that has brought our community this far.
William Lahey
President and Vice-Chancellor
Sarah Clift
Vice-President
Katie Merwin
Dean of Students
Bonnie Sands
Bursar
Dear King’s Students,
Below is an important memo from Dalhousie, outlining additional safety measures for anyone who attended the large, unsanctioned street parties on Jennings and Larch Streets on Saturday, September 25. While we are not aware of any King’s students attending, we are urging any King’s students who did attend to follow the same safety precautions outlined below, including NOT ATTENDING CLASSES OR GENERAL ON-CAMPUS ACTIVITIES AT DALHOUSIE AND/OR KING’S FOR ONE WEEK, beginning immediately and continuing until the morning of Monday, October 4. You are also asked to limit your public space interactions in general. Students in residence affected by this request are asked to restrict their on-campus activities to their residence and dining hall. Students concerned about missing course material or assessments are to follow-up with their instructor. It is important to note that instructors are not required to provide alternate instruction outside of standard absence procedures.
We continue to encourage all members of the King’s community to undertake regular rapid COVID-19 testing, wear a mask when in indoor public spaces, and to stay home if unwell. King’s students, faculty, and staff can access King’s free self-swab screening clinic, if you are not experiencing symptoms. Take-home kits are also available. Full details are available here. If experiencing symptoms, book a PCR test.
Thank you for continuing to look after others in our community and for staying vigilant in the interest of our collective health and safety.
Sincerely,
Sarah Clift
Vice-President
Katie Merwin
Dean of Students
MEMORANDUM
To: The Dalhousie University community
From: Frank Harvey, Provost and Vice-President Academic
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2021
Re: Updated COVID directive to students who attended this weekend’s Halifax street party
As we further consider the implications of yesterday’s unsanctioned street parties in Halifax, we are providing additional direction to those who were at these parties in the interest of our shared health and safety.
If you attended the large, unsanctioned street parties in the Halifax neighbourhood of Jennings and Larch Streets in the afternoon/evening of Saturday, September 25:
We are strongly urging you NOT TO ATTEND CLASSES OR GENERAL ON-CAMPUS ACTIVITIES FOR ONE WEEK, beginning immediately and continuing until the morning of Monday, October 4. You are also asked to limit your public space interactions in general.
We are also asking you to GET TESTED FOR COVID-19 — either at one of our campus testing sites or test-kit pickup locations (which you are allowed to attend) or at local pop-up rapid testing sites. Even if your test is negative, we ask you to continue to not attend classes or on-campus activities for the full week and continue regular testing.
Students in residence affected by this request are asked to restrict their on-campus activities to their residence and dining halls. Students concerned about missing course material or assessments are to follow-up with their instructor. It is important to note that instructors are not required to provide alternate instruction outside of standard absence procedures.
We take this measure knowing it will likely be imperfect, but our top priority must remain the health, safety and well-being of our Dalhousie community. We have seen a significant increase in COVID cases among 20-to-39-year-olds in the Halifax area. This weekend’s illegal gathering poses a potential risk to our ability to continue with a safe, sustainable in-person learning experience this fall. We ask everyone who was there to respect your fellow students, our entire Dal community, as well as our neighbours and surrounding community, and follow this directive.
Please note we are currently working on our next broad COVID update to our community for tomorrow (Monday), and will aim to answer additional questions about this directive in that update.
We continue to encourage all members of the Dalhousie community to undertake regular rapid COVID-19 testing along with self-assessing for symptoms daily.
Sincerely,
Frank Harvey
Provost and Vice-President Academic
Dear King’s students,
Please see the memo below from Dalhousie regarding large unsanctioned gatherings off campus. While we remain in phase 4 of Nova Scotia’s reopening plan, wearing masks and respecting gathering limits continues to be important. We also understand the importance of socializing with friends, but we strongly encourage you to do this safely.
If you do attend a party or gathering in the coming days and weeks, remember that informal social gatherings should remain with your close contacts and are limited to 25 people indoors and 50 people outside.
If you find yourself or anyone else in a situation that requires help, students can call campus security at 902-430-7938. Residence students can call the Alex Hall front desk at 902-422-1271. If it’s an emergency, please call 911.
As you know, King’s has mental health resources available in addition to what is listed below. The King’s Peer Support Workers are available to meet on a drop in basis Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. on the main floor of the A&A. Students can also reach out to Isa Wright, Student Support Advisor and Jordan Roberts, Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Officer to book an appointment to talk.
Enjoy your weekend—thank you for taking care of yourselves and others.
Thank you,
Katie Merwin
Dean of Students
MEMORANDUM
To: Dalhousie students
From: Frank Harvey, Provost and Vice-President Academic
Date: Friday, September 24, 2021
Re: Your actions matter—large unsanctioned off-campus gatherings
Dear students,
We are aware that large, unsanctioned parties are being planned off campus in the coming days. While we have all been looking forward to getting back together this year and understand the desire to socialize with friends, we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic with rising case numbers, and large student gatherings on or off campus pose a significant risk to our community, to our neighbours, and to each other.
In addition to major fines levied by Halifax Regional Police for breaking COVID protocols on gathering limits, noise infractions, and alcohol-related offences, students risk being sanctioned by Dalhousie through the university’s Code of Student Conduct.
In recent years, large gatherings on Jennings Street and other neighbouring streets have gotten out of hand and have become a safety concern for the students involved as well as for families and individuals living in the community. If you are considering attending any of these unsanctioned events, please consider the safety of yourself, your friends and neighbours and find another way to celebrate.
It is important to note, in an effort to support the safety of our on-campus residence community, no guests are currently allowed in residence. This means no other students, other than students currently living in the respective buildings, are permitted. Any residence student who fails to follow the current COVID protocol on guests will face disciplinary actions that may include eviction.
Please watch out for each other’s safety by looking for ways to de-escalate potentially harmful situations, such as sexualized violence or alcohol/substance abuse. If you see someone in distress, and it’s safe to do so, help them by intervening. Learn more about becoming an active bystander here.
If you find yourself or anyone else in a situation that requires help, the following resources are available. Please take care of each other. We are here to help.
– On campus: Call Dal Security at 902-494-4109 (or direct dial from the DalSAFE app or the Dal Mobile app)
– Off campus: Call 911
DSU Survivor Support Phone Line provides confidential and anonymous, non-judgemental, active listening and support. Call or text 902-425-1066 (12pm–12am, 7 days a week).
Student Health and Wellness offers same-day counselling services and appointments with our social worker. Book online or by calling 902-494-2171. The Student Health and Wellness Centre is open Monday-Thursday (8am–7pm); Friday (8am–6pm); Saturday (11am–4pm).
The Sexualized Violence Advisor in the Human Rights & Equity Services office can be reached at 902-494-2704 or crystal.ragush@dal.ca. The office is open Monday–Friday, 9am–4pm, although email and phone will be monitored 24 hours/day over the weekend.
Residence students can contact the on-duty RLM during the weekend at 902-220-9038.
Good2Talk is a free 24/7 confidential helpline for post-secondary students. Call 1-833-292-3698 or text GOOD2TALKNS to 686868.
Nova Scotia 211 provides free 24/7 confidential crisis services and resource navigation. Call or text 211.
Nova Scotia Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line is a free 24/7 confidential helpline. Call 1-888-429-8167.
Crisis Text Line provides free 24/7 support for people in crisis. Text HOME to 686868.
For more information about staying safe in the community, please read the memo that was distributed last week.
We understand that the start of term is both an exciting and stressful time and engaging with each other is part of that experience. However, the pandemic is not over and the health and safety of Dalhousie students and members of the Dalhousie community remain our top priority.
Sincerely,
Frank Harvey
Provost and Vice-President Academic
Dear students, faculty and staff,
Please read the memo below recently circulated by Dalhousie. It has information relevant to King’s.
Please be reminded that in addition to Dalhousie’s on-campus testing centre, King’s is operating a self-swab screening clinic, where participants will be instructed by volunteers on how to swab themselves. The screening clinic is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursdays—11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and Fridays—1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. The clinic is located in the KTS lecture hall on the second floor of the New Academic Building. Please note that participants must wait for their results in the KTS lecture hall for 15 minutes after self-swabbing. The screening clinic is only available to King’s students, faculty and staff who are asymptomatic (without any Covid symptoms). Screening is free and no appointment is necessary. If you have Covid symptoms, please do not use the screening clinic. If you have symptoms, please stay at home and contact 811 to arrange for a test at a Public Health testing center or book a test online.
A reminder that anyone experiencing Covid symptoms should complete a self-assessment and schedule testing through the province’s website. Should you receive a positive test, you must follow all public health requirements. A confirmed Covid case among faculty or staff should be reported to Human Resources dolly.mcintyre@ukings.ca. Students should seek guidance from their health care provider as needed and/or contact Dalhousie Student Health for support. Residence students should inform Assistant Dean of Students, tim.lade@ukings.ca.
We remind you that masks are now available at King’s A&A Reception and at Dal’s testing sites for those who may need one.
Sincerely,
Katie Merwin,
Dean of Students
Sarah Clift,
Vice-President
Bonnie Sands,
Bursar
To: The Dalhousie University community
From: Frank Harvey, Provost and Vice-President Academic
Jasmine Walsh, Assistant Vice-President Human Resources
Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Re: Campus Check update: Stats, testing details and more
We are writing to update our community with the latest on our Campus Check vaccination and testing requirements.
We want to stress that all students, faculty and staff must complete the Campus Check process.
Those who have not completed their Campus Check will begin receiving instructions this week to undergo required twice-weekly testing — the same as is the case with those who are not fully vaccinated. You can provide proof of full vaccination through Campus Check at any point this term and the testing requirement will cease.
More information, including answers to frequently asked questions, can be found on the Campus Check webpage. If you have questions not answered there, you can email campuscheck@dal.ca for support.
Individuals who are having difficulty using Campus Check, or would prefer not to use the website, can reach out for support and ways to provide proof of vaccination/testing through different means.
As of Wednesday morning, 22,747 members of our Dalhousie and King’s communities have completed the Campus Check process. Of those, 21,687 intend to be on campus this fall:
| Total # on campus | % fully vaccinated | |
| Dalhousie students | 16,407 | 97% |
| Dalhousie faculty and staff | 4,459 | 97.9% |
| King’s students | 693 | 98% |
| King’s faculty and staff | 128 | 97.7% |
While there are still pockets of our community who have yet to complete their Campus Check, overall these numbers echo what we saw in our institutions’ respective vaccine surveys: that our vaccine coverage appears to exceed even the high standard set by the rest of Nova Scotia. Thank you to everyone who has gotten vaccinated if they could and completed their Campus Check.
A reminder that everyone who has not been fully vaccinated, and can do so, should get their shots as soon as possible. Public Health indicates that there are signs that COVID is spreading among unvaccinated 20-to-40-year-olds in the Halifax area who are engaging in social activities. Getting vaccinated helps keep you safe, helps protect your fellow members of our Dal community, and allows us to continue a safe, successful fall term.
If you are required to undergo twice-weekly testing, you will begin receiving instructions via email to complete your testing this week. Instructions for uploading your test results are also available online on the Campus Check webpage.
A reminder to all in our communities that on-campus testing is available to all Dal and King’s students, faculty and staff as well as on-campus subcontractors — not just those individuals who are required to get tested. We encourage everyone to take advantage of asymptomatic rapid testing either by visiting one of Dalhousie’s two testing clinics or by picking up a take-away test kit you can complete on your own. Full details on locations and operating hours can be found here. Test kit supplies at some locations may be limited based on high demand, but we’re working hard on keeping all locations stocked as more supply is provided by Public Health.
Details for on-campus vaccination clinics, or getting vaccinated through the Nova Scotia booking system, can be found here. On-campus clinics are happening in Halifax this week in the LeMarchant Place Atrium from 12-6 p.m. today (Wednesday) and Thursday, with both appointments and drop-ins available. More details here.
A reminder that anyone experiencing COVID symptoms should complete a self-assessment and schedule testing through the province. A confirmed COVID case among staff and faculty should be reported to Accessible Employment (accelemp@dal.ca). Students should seek guidance from their health care provider as needed and/or contact Student Health and Wellness on both the Halifax and Truro campuses for support. Also ensure you follow your instructor and/or Faculty’s policy to supporting student illness.
If a student discloses a COVID diagnosis to a staff or faculty member, please encourage the student to seek primary health care to assist them in their recovery. For students in Halifax and Truro, there are dedicated teams to support students and information can be found here. It is important to maintain the confidentiality of the student and their health information. Please contact Verity Turpin at verity.turpin@dal.ca for support, or if you have questions on how to best support the student.
Please continue to visit the COVID-19 Information and Updates site for the latest and most up-to-date information.
Sincerely,
Frank Harvey
Provost and Vice-President Academic
Jasmine Walsh
Assistant Vice-President Human Resources
Dear King’s students, faculty and staff,
King’s joins Dalhousie in the roll out of the vaccine and testing program administered by Dalhousie for both King’s and Dalhousie through their Campus Check system.
The Campus Check system is now live. King’s students, faculty and staff should upload their proof of vaccination as soon as possible.
To complete the Campus Check process, visit campus-check.dal.ca and log in using your Dal or King’s NetID and password.
Anyone who has not provided proof of full vaccination as of Monday, September 13 will begin receiving instructions for undergoing twice-weekly testing.
Below are a few of the most important instructions for Campus Check. You can find additional information, including frequently asked questions and support details, on Dalhousie’s Covid-19 Information and Updates website.
All students, faculty and staff who intend to access either King’s or Dalhousie, or both campuses, should complete the Campus Check process.
Even if you are not on campus at present but expect to be at some point in the future, we recommend completing the Campus Check process now if you are fully vaccinated — it will avoid you having to upload your information later.
Whether by choice, circumstance, or for a protected characteristic under human rights law (health, religion, etc.), if you are not fully vaccinated—please still complete the Campus Check process, including uploading proof of partial vaccination if applicable. You will have the option to indicate that you are not fully vaccinated, and you will receive information beginning September 13 regarding your twice-weekly testing.
You will be asked to provide a photo or digital document (PDF) of any receipt, email or documentation confirming you received your vaccination. Please ensure the documentation reflects both doses if you’ve received a two-dose Covid vaccine.
For those who got vaccinated in Nova Scotia, you should have received a Covid-19 vaccine receipt via email. You can find information on accessing or acquiring your Nova Scotia receipt on the government’s website.
For the purposes of these requirements, full vaccination with any WHO-approved vaccine is accepted. Consult the latest list of WHO-approved vaccines.
King’s and Dalhousie take your privacy seriously and Dalhousie has put in place a number of measures to ensure your information will be kept confidential and managed in a manner that aligns with privacy legislation. Thrive Health, who administers the Campus Check service, is a Canadian company and all data is stored in Canada. Thrive Health does not have access to your information, and the only people at Dalhousie who will be reviewing submissions will be a small number of individuals centrally assigned to monitor the system. Your manager, supervisor, professor, etc. will not have access to your information, nor will you be asked to provide proof of vaccination or testing at building doors, classrooms or offices. Tracking and following up on compliance will all be managed centrally through the Campus Check system.
An accommodation can be sought for those who wish to provide their proof of vaccination through a means other than the Campus Check system. Employees should contact Human Resources at dolly.mcintyre@ukings.ca. Faculty should contact the Vice-President at sarah.clift@ukings.ca. And King’s students should contact Dalhousie’s Student Accessibility Centre.
Vaccine appointments can be booked for on- and off-campus locations through Nova Scotia’s vaccination booking process. Dalhousie’s drop-in on-campus vaccine clinics in Halifax are open to all King’s students, faculty and staff. Dates and details can be found on Dalhousie’s website.
You can attend one of Dalhousie’s two on-campus testing centres (Halifax and Truro), or pick up a take-away test kit at one of several campus locations. Locations and hours for testing can be found on Dalhousie’s website. Tests are available to all students, faculty and staff, regardless of vaccination status. For information on testing at King’s, visit the King’s website.
Please note that face masks are now available at King’s A&A Reception and at Dal’s testing sites for those who may need one or have forgotten their own.
If you have not provided proof of full vaccination by Monday, September 13, you will begin receiving notifications from Campus Check to begin completing and reporting twice-weekly testing if you intend to be on campus. (You will have the option to dismiss these notifications if you are not on campus.)
It is critical that all members of the King’s/Dalhousie community complete the Campus Check requirements to ensure our collective safety. Depending on if you are a student, faculty member or member of staff, you will be contacted by the office of the Dean of Students, the Vice-President or the Bursar’s Office if you are required to test twice weekly and you do not confirm you are doing so as required by the Campus Check process. Where cooperation cannot be achieved, steps will be taken to ensure the safety of campus by other means.
For more details and FAQs about Campus Check, visit Dalhousie Covid-19 news and information website.
Sincerely,
Katie Merwin,
Dean of Students
Sarah Clift,
Vice-President
Bonnie Sands,
Bursar
Dear King’s community,
Last week, Dalhousie announced its intention to implement vaccination and testing requirements this fall.
It will require students, faculty and staff accessing the Dalhousie campus, including students, faculty and staff from King’s, to show either that they are fully vaccinated or to be tested twice weekly.
The King’s announcement that followed explained that the question of whether King’s should adopt its own vaccine requirements had already been referred to the King’s Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OH&S Committee) for its advice.
The OH&S Committee met the morning of August 25, prior to Dalhousie’s announcement.
In its advice, the OH&S Committee acknowledged King’s is “… already well-positioned with near full [vaccination] of students, faculty and staff. The King’s community has already been diligent to take the appropriate actions that assure our mutual safety. We also recognize that Nova Scotia has achieved a high standard of response to the pandemic, including a relatively high level of immunization.”
But the committee recognized that “… there is a risk to students, faculty and staff if we do not provide clarity and concord with the requirements of Dalhousie.” The committee stated that if Dalhousie decided to adopt vaccine requirements, “… we would then support [the same requirements] for the King’s community in the interest of clarity for our community.”
The committee’s recommendations were reviewed last week at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors and this week at a meeting of faculty.
Although King’s is already a highly vaccinated community, as is Dalhousie, to receive the extra level of protection afforded by vaccine and testing requirements, and to achieve “clarity and concord” within our highly integrated association with Dalhousie, which includes a shared campus and services, King’s is working with Dalhousie to adopt the Dalhousie vaccine and testing requirements as Dalhousie/King’s requirements.
Students, faculty and staff will be asked electronically if they are fully vaccinated. If they do not answer, answer they are not fully vaccinated or take the option of declining to share their vaccination status, they will be electronically informed they are required to be tested twice weekly and to submit their test results electronically.
Vice President Sarah Clift is on the Dalhousie committee developing both the vaccine or testing requirement and its associated app. Dr. Clift will be taking specific questions to that forum, that have come from faculty and others regarding procedures and assurances to do with privacy, equity, individual freedom, coerciveness, the trust and confidence we have in each other, and other issues. I have told the Executive Committee and Faculty that members of the King’s community will be supported in meeting the vaccination and testing requirement, which is consistent with the central emphasis our existing safety plans for the fall place on vaccination and testing.
The Dal committee tasked with this work is meeting three times a week with a view to having the vaccination and testing requirement operational in the near future. We will share more information with you as we are able.
I end by urging everyone who will be studying, living and working on our campus in the coming days to get double vaccinated if you are medically able to do so, and have not already done so. This is our fundamental assurance of health and safety and a successful and sustained return to in-person learning and community life. Likewise, I remind everyone that being tested regularly is a duty that all of us owe to each other in the coming year, whether or not we are required to do so because we are not vaccinated or because we choose not to share our vaccination status.
As always, we will continue to work positively together and to care for each other.
Sincerely,
Bill
William Lahey
President and Vice Chancellor
Dear King’s Community,
With the return to campus, this academic year understandably comes with a level of anticipation—and for some, anxiety—that goes beyond what we would typically expect. As President Lahey wrote in his community message of August 25, it is vital that each of us has a thorough understanding of the safety plans that will guide our safe return to campus, along with the facility enhancements introduced to minimize risk as we enter the time referred to in the Central Safety Plan [PDF] as “Living with Covid.”
King’s Central Safety Plan works to reduce the likelihood of Covid transmission by employing many different safety controls simultaneously. Vaccination, testing, and self-assessment are our primary safety controls against Covid. Masks, ventilation, distancing, and hygiene are employed as additional controls.
Ventilation can help reduce the likelihood of Covid transmission. The Central Safety Plan explains that “ventilation works to dilute the density of Covid aerosols through the introduction of fresh air. Ventilation must have fresh air to be effective against Covid.” This means that ceiling fans or ductless AC systems—which do not introduce fresh air—do not dilute Covid aerosols.
In addition to fresh air, the duration of exposure to Covid aerosols is also important. Adequate ventilation is therefore determined on the ability to introduce fresh air analyzed in conjunction with the likely duration of exposure.
In response, the Central Safety Plan outlines the following ventilation measures to dilute Covid aerosols in areas where a long duration of exposure by many people is most likely:
We strongly urge all members of the community to make use of the above-described portable HEPA filtration units where they have been provided and to leave screened infills on windows open, while using rooms where these are installed.
By understanding the systems that are in place to structure our defence against Covid and the principles behind them, the King’s community puts itself in the best position possible to enjoy a safe return to campus and minimize risk in the coming months.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or your representative on the OH&S committee.
Sincerely,
Ian
Ian Wagschal
Director of Facilities Management
University of King’s College
Dear King’s Community,
In less than two weeks, 238 residence students will arrive on campus and on September 7, classes begin. Our happiness and excitement at the resumption of the in-person life of the college is mixed with apprehensiveness about the delta variant, the emergence of a fourth wave and constantly evolving information on the effectiveness and the limitations of the protection provided by approved vaccines.
In Nova Scotia, we have reason to feel positive about the months ahead. With more than 69% of the population (and more than 78% of the eligible population) fully vaccinated, we are nearing the 75% threshold of total population vaccination that will allow Nova Scotia to enter Phase 5—the final phase—of its reopening plan targeted for September 15.
At King’s, we know with very high confidence that 100% of residence students who are medically able to be vaccinated are or will be double vaccinated on or soon after their arrival on campus. More generally, our survey of all students, faculty and staff, completed by 513 people or roughly half of those who will be attending or working at King’s, indicates that we will also have general population levels of vaccination very close to 100%.
The movement to Phase 5 will happen soon after King’s and other universities welcome back students from across Canada and the world. The travel and socializing that accompany students’ return, though cause for celebration, give us reasons to continue our cautious and vigilant approach to Covid safety that has stood our province and Nova Scotia universities in good stead since the pandemic began.
If you have not read King’s Central Safety Plan and the more detailed adjunct safety plans, I urge you to do so. It is crucial that we begin the year with an informed working knowledge of these safety plans. The strength of those plans depends on everyone at King’s knowing the content of those plans and continuing to do the best we can to contribute to implementing them as fully and as effectively as possible, including by holding each other accountable for doing our part.
King’s plans follow the guidance for universities developed for the Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents (CONSUP) that was then approved by the Occupational Health and Safety Division of the Department of Labour and Advanced Education and by Dr. Robert Strang. Our plans have also been reviewed and recommended by King’s Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OHS).
Over the course of the pandemic, our success has depended on the extent to which we live by our Covid plans and policies as the commitments we make to each other, not only as the rules of the university. The plans are at their strongest when viewed as part of “the precepts of communal living and learning” that King’s students promise to honour in their Matriculation ceremony and that we as a community strive to uphold.
The plans will evolve as circumstances require. I ask that you pay careful attention to your emails and notifications on King’s social media channels. I encourage you to raise questions or concerns with me at william.lahey@ukings.ca, or directly with the OHS committee by reaching out to either Ian Wagschal at ian.wagschal@ukings.ca, or Tim Ross at tim.ross@ukings.ca.
The core of our Central Safety Plan is “two-dose vaccination by a very high percentage of members of the King’s community, frequent testing by everyone and participation in self-assessment and self-isolation by everyone,” as indicated to be necessary by self-assessment or testing. Since May, the university, its departments and programs and the KSU have regularly communicated the community’s expectation of double vaccination to everyone attending or working at King’s. Our community, out of its deeply shared commitment to community and civic responsibility, has responded overwhelmingly, as described above.
If you are one of the few who have not been fully vaccinated, and are returning to campus this fall, I urge you again to get vaccinated if you are medically able. This is for your safety and the health and safety of the students, faculty and staff of the college you will be learning and working with.
Students are encouraged to get vaccinated in your home community before coming to campus if at all possible. That said, if you are travelling to Halifax to study and need a vaccine when you arrive, you can get one or both doses here. Vaccine appointments can be booked through Nova Scotia Public Health. If you have a Nova Scotia Health Card, you can book online. If you don’t have an NS Health Card, you can make a vaccine appointment by calling 1-833-797-7772 (you need to be in Canada to call and the call must be made from a Canadian telephone number).
The pandemic remains a swiftly evolving situation, including on the question of whether vaccination should be mandatory. Many post-secondary institutions, including several in Atlantic Canada, have announced that they will mandate vaccination either for all students and employees or for those who live in residence or who play varsity sports.
As you may know when you read this, Dalhousie has announced that it is “preparing to implement additional vaccination and testing requirements for all students, faculty and staff accessing university campuses this fall (including but not limited to attending classes, using university facilities, working on campus, living in residence, participation in athletics, etc.)”.
This will apply to King’s students, who on average take roughly half their courses at Dalhousie, and to everyone at King’s who accesses the Dalhousie campus. Dalhousie has committed to discussions with King’s about the operational details of these vaccination and testing requirements considering its broad applicability to King’s students, faculty and staff. We will do everything we can for our students and all members of our community to ensure they are supported in meeting Dalhousie’s requirements.
As noted above, we are confident that our community is already poised to be a vaccinated community based on the pervasive and shared commitment of the people of King’s to the common good and their care and concern for each other and our wider community. This is the basis on which we will participate in discussions with Dalhousie about the operational details of how its mandatory requirements will apply to members of the King’s community.
I have recently referred the question of whether King’s should adopt its own vaccine mandate to our Occupational Health and Safety Committee. In keeping with procedural precedent throughout the pandemic, King’s decision on this matter will be made with the benefit of the committee’s consideration and recommendations and in light of the requirements applicable to members of the King’s community in accessing Dalhousie’s campus.
On this issue as on all others, our priorities must be the safety of everyone in our community and those beyond our community who are potentially affected by our decisions, upholding our trust and confidence in each other that has been our guiding star throughout the pandemic, and ensuring the members of both the King’s and Dalhousie communities have secure and safe access to each other’s campus and to the life of the community they share.
The emphasis our Central Safety Plan places on frequent testing requires that testing be readily available. We are fortunate that Nova Scotia has been a leader in making rapid tests readily available at sites throughout and beyond Halifax. Members of the King’s community will also have convenient access to the testing site located on the Dalhousie campus. King’s is also supplementing the testing available through these options by establishing a part-time Covid screening site at King’s, which will be operated by volunteers from among those who work at King’s.
The Central Safety Plan also provides for “Additional Safety Measures and Requirements.” On masks, the Plan says, “Everyone on King’s property will be encouraged to wear a non-medical mask in all indoor spaces.” It also says, “The mandatory use of masks may be reinstated or extended for specific circumstances.”
Already,
Additionally, all current provincial public health orders, including the need to wear masks in indoor public spaces, will continue to be applicable at King’s until Phase 5 of the provincial reopening plan is reached, anticipated for September 15.
King’s decision to extend our general mask wearing requirement beyond the expected transition to Phase 5, extends the protection afforded by masking until we can assess our ongoing safety needs. This will be based on our experience through September and our assessment of the prevailing public health situation after Nova Scotia has reached its threshold vaccination objectives for lifting remaining public health requirements.
I am confident we will fulfill our calling as an embodied community of learning in the coming year by integrating responsible Covid safety into how we will live out that calling. Living on campus with my family as I do, I look forward to once again sharing meals with students, participating in campus events as I always have and to sharing our home with students, faculty and staff.
The roots of my confidence lie in our plans that have been developed through inclusive and participatory processes, including our truly exceptional Occupational Health and Safety Committee which includes robust student, faculty and staff participation. More fundamentally, my confidence rests in our culture and ethos as a collegial community where we live and learn for each other and not solely with each other.
On that basis, I am looking forward with optimism to once again being fully immersed in the in-person life of the college as it fully returns to the Quad and the wider campus we share with Dalhousie and Halifax.
Bill
William Lahey
President and Vice-Chancellor
Dear King’s Faculty, Staff and Students,
In light of increasing coverage in the media about vaccination levels at universities, I write to share the very positive news that at King’s, our survey of residence students and a separate survey of faculty, staff and students show that this fall virtually 100% of students in residence will be fully vaccinated and, more generally, close to 100% of faculty, staff and students are or plan to be fully vaccinated at, or soon after, the beginning of the coming term. We have high confidence in the accuracy of this information because of the exceptionally high response rates to both of these surveys. Thank you to all of you – and it is literally almost all of you – for getting vaccinated, for your health and wellbeing and that of our King’s community and the broader community we share with the people of Halifax and Nova Scotia.
Thank you to everyone on staff who has worked and contributed to our vaccination campaign, particularly our teams in the Advancement, Registrar’s Office and the Residence Office. I also thank KSU President Nick Harris and the whole KSU Executive and office staff for both launching their own vaccination campaign and contributing so enthusiastically to the university’s campaign.
On a related note, I am pleased to advise that Dr. Robert Strang and the Occupational Health and Safety Division of the Department of Labour and Advanced Education recently approved a set of guidelines [PDF] for in-person learning and campus life in universities and the community college that replaces the more prescriptive framework he had previously approved. These guidelines are fully in alignment with the safety plans I have approved for King’s on the recommendation of our own occupational health and safety committee.
Earlier today, Dalhousie distributed a memo on fall safety [PDF] that many of you may have received. It shows that Dalhousie’s planning is very much in alignment with our planning, as I summarized it in my email to the community on July 14 (below).
Sincerely,
Bill
William Lahey
Dear King’s students,
Please read the below for important information about travel into Nova Scotia.
Travel and self-isolation requirements for people travelling to Nova Scotia have changed based on your vaccination status.
Please note that these requirements may change further between now and September. Students are advised to base any travel planning at this time around the requirements listed below as they represent the most current information available. You can find up-to-date information about international travel requirements, and for Nova Scotia requirements.
Domestic Canadian students who are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine will not have to self-isolate after arriving in Nova Scotia. International students who are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine may be exempted from quarantine after arriving. Full vaccination must be completed at least 14 days before arriving.
We strongly encourage all students to get fully vaccinated prior to arriving in Nova Scotia if possible. It’s King’s best shot to get back to the Quad, along with regular testing (more details soon about on-campus self-swap testing!)
All people travelling from outside Atlantic Canada need to apply to enter Nova Scotia by completing the Safe Check-in Form including official proof of vaccination.
Please note: Testing must be standard PCR lab tests (not rapid tests).
If you are travelling to Canada from another country, you may qualify for certain quarantine and testing exemptions if you:
Are eligible to enter Canada
All King’s international students should contact Dalhousie’s International Centre at international.centre@dal.ca for specific guidance and support around travel requirements to Canada and Nova Scotia.
The list of approved and accepted vaccines may expand in the future, so please check the Government of Canada website for the most up-to-date information.
If you are not vaccinated or require a second dose of a Health Canada-approved vaccine, you will be able to receive one for free in Nova Scotia. Please find more information about arriving in Nova Scotia and receiving your vaccine here on the Government of Nova Scotia website [PDF].
For those required to self-isolate, once again the Day Students’ Society is offering contactless delivery of essential goods (groceries, textbooks, other products needed for daily living). Email daystudentssociety@gmail.com or contact the DSS on any of their social media accounts.
Want to volunteer? Fill out the DSS’ Volunteer Google Form.
Other supports that may also help while self-isolating:
Jordan Roberts’ tips for self-care;
Health and fitness tips from members of King’s Athletics community;
Mental health supports and services.
We know many of you have questions about the fall at King’s, including ones about vaccination so please join us at 4:30 p.m. AST today for an Instagram live Q & A about Vaccinations & Community Care, featuring Jordan Roberts, King’s Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Officer, and President Bill Lahey.
We look forward to welcoming you to the quad in September. Thank you for getting vaccinated to ensure this happens in the safest way possible!
Take care,
Katie Merwin
Dean of Students