COVID Policies COVID Vaccination Policy
Update to COVID-19 Practices January 1 2023
On June 8, 2022, the Chief Medical Officer of Health announced the end of most mask mandates with the exception of long term care and retirement homes, along with the recommendation that individual entities implement a policy based upon their risk assessment.
Subsequently, it was announced that the 5 day self isolation period was no longer mandatory, once a person tested positive.
While masking requirements in many settings have been discontinued, many organizations are implementing their own policies. Some organizations, such as hospitals, enacted their own masking policies simultaneously and have continued to maintain these policies and health care sanitation procedures.
This approach has worked well as Ontario shifted towards integrating the management of COVID-19 into routine health system operations. It is still evident that COVID 19 has not gone away and people are still testing positive and becoming ill, needing to remain in isolation or have died. The approach is how to limit the spread and best minimize the potential for one’s illness from this virus.
For those in ‘healthcare settings’ such as the Academy, the decision involves a risk assessment of its operational environment and the potential contact and transference of COVID-19 to another person. It is also apparent that the virus can spread to or from persons who are already vaccinated and the knowledge of a person being vaccinated or not, no longer appears to be vital information to collect.
Current Policy:
The Academy will no longer ask clients to disclose their vaccination status upon arrival, however, all clients must continue to wear a mask.
New students to the Academy will be asked at Orientation to privately declare their vaccination status. This is required as the Academy must know their individual status for participation at certain off-site events, wherein the Host has such requirements in place.
Students who have not been vaccinated will no longer be required to be tested weekly upon arrival at the Academy.
If a person has tested positive, they must remain away from the Academy, until such time as they test negative and this is confirmed upon arrival at the Academy.
It is apparent that students are demonstrating their personal commitment to good health and hygiene practices. As such, students are being asked to continue to be self-responsible for the sanitization of their treatment areas before and between clients and the Student Daily Health & Safety Cleaning Log will be discontinued, at this time.
Active Policy
All students, faculty and administration personnel are asked to continue to be vigilant in helping to deter the potential for this virus to exist within the Academy, by following the established ‘best practices’ for good hygiene standards.
It remains the opinion of the Academy’s management team that masking has helped and will continue to reduce the potential transfer of COVID-19.
In the best interests of all persons entering the Academy, masking will continue on the following basis:
All clients and visitors to on-site student public wellness clinics must wear a mask once entering the treatment room. All students and faculty will also wear masks in the treatment room.
In clinical off-site skill development situations e.g. public off-sites, masks are still required for students, faculty and their patients.
Masking is also required for students, faculty or clients entering the Office Admin area
In classroom, hallway or student area environments, masking is not required and will be voluntary.
As a collective team, we have demonstrated that it is possible to help control the spread of this virus within our environment, and hopefully, with the dedicated commitment by all, this will continue to hold us safe.