Returning to close quarters has some staff members at St. Francis Xavier University worried about what could go wrong, as COVID-19 cases tick back up in the province.
The StFX Association of University Teachers (StFXAUT) held a virtual special meeting Monday night; the association represents over 400 members in eight different employee groups engaged in teaching and research at the university.
They met to discuss the burning question: would the university administration be willing to introduce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for students, staff and faculty this fall?
“A lot of our members have young children in school, [for whom] the vaccine is just not approved yet,” Martin van Bommel, president of the StFXAUT, told The Hawk.
Teaching staff are worried with the rise of the delta variant — which can sometimes be contracted by even those who are vaccinated — and the easing of provincial masking policies, they may inadvertently bring the virus home.
The university had previously suspended the use of certain rooms where social distancing isn’t possible, however, they’ll begin using the rooms again when classes resume.
University administration have implemented a mask mandate that will run until the end of September; rules around physical distancing on campus are being relaxed.
In addition to the cramped classrooms, members are also worried comparably low vaccine uptake in young adults and poor ventilation in the older campus buildings could be dangerous, van Bommel said.
The idea of a mandatory vaccine policy was overwhelmingly supported by members of the association, van Bommel said.
van Bommel acknowledged that not everyone can get vaccinated, and said the association is committed to working with all concerned parties to guide the implementation of “a reasonable and fair mandatory vaccine policy on campus that ensures privacy protections are paramount and provides appropriate accommodations”
The association is proposing regular testing for those who can’t be vaccinated for health reasons.
They met with university administration on Wednesday, but no word yet on whether the university will adopt a policy on vaccines.
