MEMORANDUM

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.   

Complete your Campus Check

• If you are studying/working remotely, complete your Campus Check. You can indicate through Campus Check that you do not intend to be on campus.
• If you are partially vaccinated, fill out your Campus Check and provide information on your first dose. You add the information about your second dose once it is completed.
• If you are unvaccinated, complete your Campus Check so we can provide you information on testing requirements.

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.

• Students in Halifax should contact the Student Accessibility Centre or visit their office in the Killam Library, G28. The Student Accessibility Centre is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to  4 p.m. Truro students who wish to report their vaccination information in person can do so at the Health Centre, main floor of the Dairy Building, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Faculty and staff in Halifax can contact Accessible Employment at accessible.employment@dal.ca, or visit their office in Human Resources, Henry Hicks Building Room 21, from 10 am. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday this week. Faculty and staff on the Agricultural Campus can contact Amanda LeBlanc at amanda.leblanc@dal.ca or 902-893-2358, or visit her office between 1 pm – 3 pm, Monday to Thursday this week.

Campus Check stats

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:

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.

Testing procedures

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.

Vaccine clinics

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.

Procedures in the event of COVID cases

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.

More information

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

Dalhousie University is located in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi`kmaq. We are all treaty people.

We acknowledge the histories, contributions, and legacies of the African Nova Scotian people and communities who have been here for over 400 years.