The full-vaccination mandate for returning to classes in September now includes the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM), which has campuses in both Sudbury and Thunder Bay.
“The school will require all learners, researchers, faculty, staff, and visitors who intend to access the medical school buildings in Sudbury and Thunder Bay to have received their full vaccination or the first vaccine dose by Sept. 7, 2021, and they must be fully vaccinated by no later than Oct. 7, 2021,” said a statement from NOSM on Wednesday.
NOSM said these requirements are aligned with the advice of public health authorities across Northern Ontario, government directives and are consistent with NOSM’s peer organizations.
Everyone will be required to complete training and provide an attestation that they are vaccinated.
Dr. Sarita Verma, dean, president and CEO of NOSM, remarked that vaccination is a protective measure for students, staff and faculty.
"Vaccination protects us from COVID-19 and statistics show that most new cases are amongst those who are unvaccinated,” she said. “Masking, hand washing and vaccination will keep the NOSM community, including our frontline physician teachers, resident doctors and learners safe while continuing to provide health care for Northerners.”
In Sudbury, the NOSM facilities are part of the larger campus of Laurentian University. It was reported earlier this week that LU as well as Cambrian College and Collège Boréal have also opted to have mandatory vaccine compliance.
NOSM also said additional information can be found on the school's website.
