Carleton University making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for students living in residence, playing sports, music

Carleton University is requiring all students moving into its residences, playing varsity and competitive club sports, and participating in music instruction, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall semester.

The school says it made the decision based on advice from Ottawa Public Health (OPH), and says it's in alignment with what other health units in Ontario have been preaching as the school year draws nearer.

OPH's advice was as follows: students who participate in activities that carry a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission, notably living in residences, need to be fully vaccinated. The health unit also proposed that everyone in the Carleton community should self-declare their COVID-19 vaccination status.

The University of Ottawa announced last month that it was making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all students living in residence for the fall semester, but did not mention varsity sports.

Algonquin College has released a couple of statements over the last month, strongly encouraging its students to get vaccinated, but it has not made any declaration that vaccines will be required in residence or anywhere else on campus.