King's requires COVID-19 booster and masking in instructional spaces this fall

A message from Dr. David Malloy, King's President:

You will receive an email from Western University, sharing information about the new vaccine and masking requirements for the Fall 2022 term. King’s has our own vaccination policy that is in alignment with Western in order to avoid confusion for our community.  

Vaccination Policy Update 

King’s updated COVID-19 vaccination policy has been reviewed and updated, effective August 22, 2022. This updated policy requires all members of the King’s community (students and employees) to submit up-to-date proof of three doses of approved vaccination by October 1, 2022. Three doses means the primary series plus one booster. 

Research and results have shown that the COVID-19 vaccine is the best protection against severe illness, decreasing risk of hospitalizations and reducing transmission. It continues to be one of the best ways we can keep our community safe throughout the pandemic. 

Students living in residence 

Our students in residence are required to have received the primary series (two doses) plus one booster dose within 14 days of their move-in date.   

Students arriving from outside Canada 

International students must follow the federal vaccination requirements for entry to Canada, which can be found by visiting the Government of Canada website. Those vaccines approved for entry to Canada may not be the same as those required by the King’s vaccination policy. You may be required to have additional vaccinations upon arrival or be allowed more time to get necessary vaccinations. You are required to have two doses and a booster to attend King’s this fall. International students can contact our International office at international@kings.uwo.ca or 519-433-3491 ext. 4623 if you have any further questions. 

How to submit proof of vaccination 

Employees: Log into MyHR and look for the “My Vaccinations” tile to upload your proof of vaccination.  

Students: Log into Student Center and look for "My Vaccinations" located in the top left under "Personal Information" to submit your proof of vaccination.  

Proof of vaccination can be obtained through Ontario’s COVID-19 website. If you received your vaccination out-of-province, you can obtain proof of vaccination through the individual provincial government’s website. 

How to get vaccinated 

Western’s on-campus vaccination and testing centre is open to King’s employees and students. Community members can book an appointment through Western’s vaccination website. There are also other vaccination clinics located across Ontario. 

If you require an exemption, please fill out the medical or religious form. Exemption requests can be sent to vaxinfo@uwo.ca for students and to takecare@uwo.ca for employees.

Visitors to campus 

Visitors to campus who are indoors and in close contact with employees or students may need to complete an attestation that they are in compliance with the vaccination policy. 

Mask mandate update 

Effective September 1, 2022, King’s will require KN95 masks to be worn indoors in instructional spaces such as classrooms and seminar rooms. If you are presenting, performing, facilitating or speaking to a group and have two metres of distance, you may remove your mask.

We strongly encourage masking in all crowded spaces – including busy hallways, meetings, study and workspaces, but masking in those areas is not mandated. 

Hand sanitization stations and enhanced cleaning schedules will also remain. 

Have Questions? 

Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to maintain our FAQ pages to answer inquiries from our students, faculty and staff. We will update those pages as we receive new questions and new information becomes available. Employees or students with questions can email ReturnToCampus@kings.uwo.ca.  

We are looking forward to welcoming our community back to the King’s campus for the Fall 2022 term. The safety of our community remains our top priority. We have not seen a high level of COVID-19 outbreaks among the King’s community, thanks to our vaccination policy and the widespread adherence to the policy. We will continue to monitor and reassess our response to the situation. I encourage everyone to become fully vaccinated and follow the masking procedures, outlined above, to take care of yourself, take care of each other and take care of this place.