Dear UFV community,
As we return to campus, I’m sharing a letter from Dr. Bonnie Henry that recommends in-person post-secondary education and looks at the science behind this transition.
I recognize there is a range of opinion regarding coming back to in-person learning, but science tells us the benefits are critical to our students’ mental health and well-being. These benefits are documented in a recent BC Centre for Disease Control report.
With input from the Provincial Health Officer, our community, and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training, I’m confident the science-based measures we have in place align with the recommendation to continue the winter term in person.
A highly vaccinated UFV community, plus the layers of protection employed on our campuses, have kept transmission rates low. In a briefing on Friday, January 21, Dr. Henry presented data indicating older adults who are unvaccinated are more likely to experience severe health impacts from this wave of the pandemic.
We know the Omicron variant is highly transmissible. Please visit the UFV Return to Campus site for the latest updates to UFV protocols – these updates include mask guidelines, what to do if you are sick (stay home), how to assist students who are absent due to illness, and other steps you can take when coming back to campus to help our community minimize the impact and the spread of COVID.
I appreciate your efforts to continue fighting this virus while providing our students with an excellent education in an engaging learning environment.
Sincerely,
Dr. Joanne MacLean
President and Vice-Chancellor