The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies will not require students, staff or visitors to be double vaccinated against COVID-19 to start the 2021-22 school year.
However, SIIT’s director of strategic communications said mandatory masking is required in all public areas at the three institute’s campuses.
“As we begin the academic year, the health and safety of all staff, students, clients and visitors are of utmost importance,” Victoria Lamb Drover said in a statement to Global News.
“We will be monitoring the COVID-19 situation very carefully should we need to implement a double vaccine mandate at the beginning of 2022, or upon direction from the Saskatchewan Health Authority.”
However, Lamb is encouraging everyone to get double vaccinated.
“(We) will be providing on-site vaccination clinics at our three campus locations this fall,” she said.
SIIT said there are a number of measures that will be in place as of Aug. 30 to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Staff, students and visitors are not allowed to enter a SIIT facility if they have cold or flu-like symptoms, have travelled outside Canada in the last 14 days, or have been in close contact with a COVID-19-positive person within the last 14 days.
Staff or students testing positive for COVID-19 are being asked to notify their manager or instructor, however, SIIT said any contact tracing will be led by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
The institute is also asking everyone to maintain social distancing when possible.
SIIT is the first post-secondary institution in Saskatchewan not to require double vaccination for students and staff.
Both the universities of Regina and Saskatchewan have made it mandatory for students and staff to be vaccinated.
The University of Regina said all faculty, staff and students must have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 1
The University of Saskatchewan said proof of a first vaccination is required by Sept. 7 and of the second dose by Oct. 18.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic said all students, staff and visitors to its campuses are required to have a first vaccination by Sept. 17 and the second dose by Oct. 22.