OCNews

Hello everyone, 

I hope the first days of the semester have been enjoyable and rewarding. It’s been wonderful to meet and interact with more of our students and team members on campus this week. 

On Sept. 7, the province announced more details about the rollout of the BC Vaccine Card. You can visit the Province’s Proof of Vaccination page for more details and to obtain your card in minutes.  

What you need to know about proof-of-vaccination at Okanagan College: 

• As with other B.C. Colleges, proof of vaccination is not required to attend in-person classes, seminars or tutorials (including academic field trips/field work), or to access on-campus cafeterias or food service vendors. This follows the guidance of the PHO. Students in some health sciences programs and practicum placements will receive guidance directly on how to verify their proof of vaccination as required. 
• Students living in on-campus student housing will be required to show: 
• Partial vaccination (one dose) by Sept. 7, 2021; and, 
• Full vaccination (two doses) by Oct. 24, 2021. 
• Starting Sept. 13, some on-campus events, services and businesses will be required to check a person’s proof of vaccination for access, including: 
  • seated dining at Infusions restaurant  
  • fitness centres/gyms and indoor adult sports programs  
  • indoor group exercise, recreational classes and activities  
  • indoor ticketed events such as concerts and theatre performances 
  • organized indoor events with 50 or more people (e.g., organized parties, conferences, workshops). Team members will be provided with guidance when submitting their event safety plan if they will be required to ask attendees for proof-of-vaccination. 
• Verification of BC Vaccine Card does not include any kind of storing of your personal health information by OC. It will simply be a quick scan or visual verification at entrances to the settings above. 

Thank you in advance for demonstrating kindness and understanding to your fellow students and colleagues. We’ll continue to share more guidance as it becomes available. 

Respectfully,
Neil Fassina 
President, Okanagan College