Dear faculty & staff,

On August 26, the University of Toronto announced that all members of our community who come onto our campuses in the fall must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and will be required to upload proof of vaccination via UCheck. The University expects all members of the community to have their first dose by September 13, and to be fully vaccinated by October 15. This requirement aligns with the recent recommendations of the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health for post-secondary institutions in the province and the sector’s response.

This means that starting September 13, all students, faculty, staff and librarians at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy will be required to upload proof of vaccination using the UCheck system.  You will be able to upload your vaccine information in early September. In addition, students in the PharmD and PharmD for Pharmacists programs will be required to upload proof of vaccination using Synergy Gateway.   

READ Full Announcement from the University of Toronto

Permitted exemptions and rapid screening program

The University has outlined that rapid screening cannot be used as an alternative to vaccination without an approved exemption. Individuals who are neither fully vaccinated nor enrolled in the rapid screening program by September 13 cannot come to any University premises. Please read the full announcement for additional information on the rapid screening program. More information about requesting an exemption will be made available by the University next week.   

This is a welcome development in the University’s approach to planning for a safe return to campus this fall, and I encourage everyone in our community to get vaccinated against COVID-19. If you have questions about vaccines or need details on how to get vaccinated, the University has provided information on vaccine safety and links to provincial and municipal appointment booking platforms.

The University continues to wait for further guidance from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities about physical distancing and capacity limits. We will continue to follow the local public health guidance in place at this time and we will continue to keep you updated as our plans progress.

I recognize that it can be challenging to cope with the evolving nature of the pandemic and I thank you for your ongoing efforts and commitment as we work toward a successful start to the fall term together.

Sincerely,

Lisa Dolovich,
Professor and Dean
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto