Niagara and Halton Skilled Trades Academy: COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
Beginning Sept 7th 2021, all employees, students and visitors attending Niagara and Halton Skilled Trades Academy facilities will be required to confirm that they have had two doses of a Health Canada or World Health Organization approved vaccine before entering a Niagara & Halton Skilled Trades Academy facility.
Proof of vaccination or a request for exemption will only need to be submitted once, and this must be done in advance of attending the facility for training.
Proof of vaccination and /or exemption requests will not be processed upon arrival. This must be done in advance of attending the facility.
Those who are not fully vaccinated by September 7th, and those who have received an exemption for medical reasons will be required to do regular rapid antigen testing that will be provided by the school. As directed by the province of Ontario in their announcement on August 17th, individuals who receive an exemption for anything other than medical reasons will be required to complete an educational program and do regular rapid antigen testing.
Niagara & Halton Skilled Trades Academies COVID-19 Vaccination policy will remain in place until further notice.
How to submit proof of full vaccination to Niagara & Halton skilled Trades Academies
ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF PROOF
Niagara & Halton Skilled Trades Academy will only accept official receipts issued by the Ministry of Health as proof of full vaccination. Hard copies of receipts are provided to all individuals at the time of vaccination. Receipts can also be downloaded or printed through the COVID-19 vaccination provincial portal.
PROPER SUBMISSION PROCESS
A scanned copy or picture of proof of vaccination is to be emailed to admin@getatrade.com. Proof of vaccination and /or exemption requests will not be processed upon arrival to the facility. This must be done before you come to the facility or you will not be permitted entry.
The information you provide will be verified upon receipt and if acceptable, you will receive an email response stating that you may attend in-person training. Your personal information is secure and will be handled in accordance with privacy regulations. No personal medical information will be kept on file, and all medical records will be permanently deleted once your status has been confirmed.
How to request an exemption (medical, religion/ creed or other)
Individuals who do not submit proof of full vaccination can request an exemption for medical or non-medical reasons. Individuals approved for the exemption will be required to do regular rapid antigen testing prior to each in-person training session. Rapid antigen tests will be available at the school and administered ahead of the normal class start time.
MEDICAL REASONS
Individuals without proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 can provide written proof of a medical reason, provided by a physician that sets out a documented medical reason for not being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and the effective time-period for the medical reason.
NON-MEDICAL REASONS
Individuals without proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and who have chosen to decline the vaccination for non medical reasons will be required to complete an education session that addresses:
• How COVID-19 Vaccines work
• Vaccine safety related to the development of COVID-19 vaccines • The benefits of vaccination against COVID-19
• Risks of not being vaccinated against COVID-19
• Possible side effects of the COVID-19 vaccination
The education session will be held at Niagara & Halton Skilled Trades Academies prior to the individuals first in-person training session after September 7th.
PARTIALLY VACCINATED
Individuals who are partially vaccinated will be required to submit proof of partial vaccination and do the regular antigen tests prior to each class until the individual can submit proof of full vaccination.
HOW TO PROPERLY SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION
Individuals submitting a request for exemption must complete the COVID-19 Request for Exemption Form in full and email a scanned copy / picture of the form and accompanying documents to admin@getatrade.com. Upon approval you will receive an email containing more information on rapid antigen testing and the educational session (if applicable). This must be done before you come to the facility or you will not be permitted to enter.
PPE, daily health screening, and physical distancing apply
Please note that regardless of your vaccination status, all requirements related to mandatory daily health screening, physical distancing and PPE (i.e., masks, face shields) remain in place for anyone attending Niagara & Halton Skilled Trades Academies.