Updates to McMaster’s COVID-19 safety measures
Following expert advice, and the changing course of the pandemic in recent weeks, McMaster will pause its mask mandate as of June 1.
The university continues to strongly encourage our community to wear a mask when indoors or in close proximity to others while outdoors, even though masks will not be required. Free Level 3 surgical masks are still available at several locations, including the Campus Store.
As of May 1, McMaster’s vaccination mandate was paused for staff, faculty, students and visitors. However, vaccination continues to be important and community members are asked to get their booster shots and to keep their vaccination records, including third doses, up to date through MacCheck.
Learners, staff and faculty attending hospital sites or other health facilities must continue to follow current safety rules, including masking, active screening and vaccination, that apply to these locations.
“We wish to thank our students, faculty and staff for their ongoing diligence in following health and safety guidelines over the last two years,” said Susan Tighe, provost and vice-president Academic. “Thanks to your collective effort, and the improving course of the pandemic, we are able to continue our gradual return to a more regular state. We encourage our community to continue to be respectful of one another in our ongoing efforts to keep our campus safe.”
In keeping with Ontario workplace safety requirements, staff and faculty members need to report positive COVID cases, as confirmed through a Rapid Antigen or PCR test, through Mosaic. Students are no longer required to report cases, but learners in health professional programs should check with their program offices for instructions on reporting to placement locations.
As of June 1, public reporting of COVID cases on the Back to Mac website will be paused.
MacCheck is no longer required to be completed before attending a campus site, but we continue to require that students, faculty and staff use the Ontario COVID-19 Self-Assessment tool and advise you to follow any direction provided. As a reminder, we ask community members to stay home if feeling unwell.
If pandemic circumstances and public health advice shifts and government requirements change, the university may need to quickly reinstate a mask requirement and the vaccine policies. The university will continue monitoring this evolving situation and stay aligned with the best and most current health advice and will inform our community of any changes.
