COVID-19 Update – September 10, 2021 – PHO Student Housing Order + BCCDC Rapid Testing Guidance

Please note the following COVID-19 updates for September 10, 2021:

Post-secondary Institution Housing COVID-19 Preventive Measures Order:

A new Provincial Health Officer (PHO) order was posted today for post-secondary institutions with student housing.

A resident must be vaccinated to live in post-secondary housing. (Section A1)
Institutions must notify every resident that proof of vaccination is required by September 23, 2021. (Sections A2 and A3)
If a resident does not provide proof of vaccination by September 23, 2021, the resident will be considered to be unvaccinated, and must wear a face covering which covers the resident’s nose and mouth when in any area of post-secondary housing, other than the resident’s room. (Section A4)
Post-secondary institutions must be able to provide the medical health officer with the name and contact information for all residents in post-secondary housing, including a record of residents who have not provided proof of vaccination. (Section A7)
This order expires on January 31, 2022.

BCCDC Rapid Testing Guidance:

The BCCDC has posted guidance for those post-secondary institutions that choose to introduce rapid testing as an additional COVID-19 prevention measure.
This information will not be included in the COVID-19 Return-to-Campus Guidelines since the routine screening of people without symptoms (i.e., asymptomatic screening) is not recommended by public health outside of specific settings such as student housing.

Thank you for the important role you play in supporting the provincial COVID-19 response. Please share this update broadly within your respective institutions.