Health guidance and vaccines

Your questions answered

Below are a list of questions and answers to help you understand your role in helping prevent the spread of illness on our campuses and learning sites.

On this page:

COVID-19 vaccines

Health guidance

Safety planning

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COVID-19 vaccines

  • Where can I find information about BC’s provincial vaccination program?

    Where can I find information about BC’s provincial vaccination program?

    You can learn more about BC’s provincial vaccination program at https://immunizebc.ca/. You can also find out how you can get your booster dose.

  • Who can get vaccinated in Canada?

    Who can get vaccinated in Canada?

    All people in BC, including international students, can be vaccinated for free, regardless of length of stay or status, even if they will be here for only one dose (first or second). If a person has received a first dose of a two-dose vaccine regimen, while outside BC and then arrives in BC, they can bring their vaccination record from their first jurisdiction (with information about which vaccine and when it was administered) and request their second dose in BC. A doctor will determine the appropriate second vaccine. If a person brings the vaccine for their second dose with them into BC, a doctor will determine whether it can be administered in BC, depending on the vaccine and how it was transported. Everyone who is vaccinated in BC will receive a vaccination record, which they can present in BC or elsewhere to show what vaccine they received and when.

  • Will international students be able to get vaccinated in Canada?

    Will international students be able to get vaccinated in Canada?

    Yes, international students who haven’t been vaccinated upon arrival will also have access to the BC immunization program.

  • Are vaccines mandatory for students, faculty or staff to be on campus?

    Are vaccines mandatory for students, faculty or staff to be on campus?

    COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory to attend campus or classes. However, UBC strongly encourages members of the community to get vaccinated. You can learn more at https://immunizebc.ca.

  • Are COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for UBC faculty and staff based in health settings?

    Are COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for UBC faculty and staff based in health settings?

    Yes. According to an updated Public Health Order, workers in certain health care settings must be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to work in a designated facility. As part of the Order, all UBC faculty, staff or student employees who work in health care settings must have received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by November 15, 2021 in order to continue to work at that site. This includes hospital sites, clinics, and any other place where care is provided. For hospital owned buildings, that means the whole building is covered by the Order. For UBC owned buildings, only the clinic area itself is covered, not the whole building. 

    For those who are fully vaccinated, no further action is required. For those who are only partially vaccinated, or have not been vaccinated, their access to the workplace will be limited by their vaccination status, which may result in being put on unpaid leave. Find out more here.

  • What do we know about the efficacy of current vaccines to protect against the different COVID-19 variants?

    What do we know about the efficacy of current vaccines to protect against the different COVID-19 variants?

    According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, the vaccines offered in BC are expected to protect people against the different COVID-19 variants circulating in BC, including the variants of concern. Getting vaccinated also decreases the risk of having severe COVID-19 disease or dying from it, prevents new variants from arising, and helps control the spread of COVID-19. Learn more.

  • What is the BC Vaccine Card?

    What is the BC Vaccine Card?

    The BC Provincial Government announced the introduction of the BC Vaccine Card in September 2021. The order required proof of COVID-19 vaccination to access a range of activities, including indoor ticketed sporting events, indoor and patio dining in restaurants, fitness centres, casinos and indoor organized events, such as conferences and weddings. In April 2022, the BC Provincial Government announced that provincial proof of vaccination requirement had been lifted. Individual businesses and event organizers may continue to require proof of vaccination for entry to their premises.

    If you were vaccinated in another province or country, no matter what vaccine you received, you may upload your information in order to obtain your BC Vaccine Card. If you need a BC Personal Health Number to upload your information, call a BC Services agent at: 1-888-268-4319 then upload at https://immunizationrecord.gov.bc.ca. 

Health guidance

Safety planning

  • What is UBC’s approach to COVID-19 safety planning?

    What is UBC’s approach to COVID-19 safety planning?

    UBC follows a Communicable Disease Prevention Framework in alignment with the BC Centre for Disease Control and WorkSafeBC that covers all UBC activities.

    UBC will continue to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19, and is well placed to adjust its approach if required. 

    For further details please visit the site according to your campus: UBC Vancouver | UBC Okanagan.

  • Does UBC require people to do self-assessments, stay at home if they are sick, and wash their hands?

    Does UBC require people to do self-assessments, stay home if they are sick, and wash their hands?

    Yes. Effective plans combine layers of protection to keep people safe, so it is highly likely that these controls will continue to be recommended for the fall. Strategies implemented need to meet the requirements set out by both Public Health and WorkSafeBC. These measures also help to reduce the risk of other transmissible diseases including influenza (the flu) and the common cold.

Last updated on June 6, 2022 @6:56 am PDT