Queen's University declares a COVID-19 outbreak in the student community

Students walk by a sign at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., urging everyone to follow COVID-19 guidelines, Sept. 29, 2020. (Kimberley Johnson / CTV News Ottawa)

Queen's University is proceeding with in-person exams for the fall term this week, as cases of COVID-19 rise and the university declares an outbreak in the "student community."

However, students in the Faculty of Arts and Science and Faculty of Engineering "feeling distressed" related to the rise in the COVID-19 cases now have the option not to attend exams and write it early in the winter term.

According to the university's case tracker, 135 new cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the university community this week.

On Friday, Queen's confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 positive cases within the student community.

"If you have come into close contact with a known case over the last ten days or have any symptoms, you must isolate and get tested as soon as possible with a PCR test," said Queen's in a statement.

Three new outbreaks were declared at residences at Queen's University on Friday – Brant House Residence, Chown Hall Residence and Victoria Hall.

The Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health unit reported 131 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, including 79 in the 18 to 29 age group. There are 105 suspected cases of the Omicron variant in the Kingston region.

Queen's is encouraging students to avoid social gatherings and any interactions without masks.

"The university is working on a plan to make Rapid Testing Kits available early next week. All students symptom-free and not a high risk contact are strongly encouraged to use these tests within 48 hours of travel outside of the KFL&A region," said the university in a statement released Friday evening.

A petition launched this week calling on Queen's University to move exams online has 6,000 signatures as of Saturday afternoon.

"Students have to sit in exam halls with HUNDREDS of other students while there are multiple outbreaks in the student community," says the petition. "Having exams in person put thousands of students at risk and likely means that many students won’t be able to see family who are particularly vulnerable to COVID over the holidays."

Queen's says it has worked closely with public health to develop protocols for exams, "which are ongoing."

The protocols include completing the screening app before entering the exam venue, wearing a mask at all times in the room, using hand sanitizer when entering a venue and social distancing.

Saturday afternoon, Queen's University said in response to concerns raised by some Queen's students regarding in-person exams as cases rise, the Faculty of Arts and Science and the Faculty of Engineering says students "feeling distressed" about COVID-19 in the community have the option not to attend exams.

"We have updated our academic considerations process to include feeling distressed about COVID in the community," said Queen's in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.

"We would like to reiterate that you must not attend in-person exams if you feel unwell, are symptomatic, have been in contact with someone who is symptomatic, or have been asked to self-isolate. In addition, if you are experiencing distress related to COVID in the community, you also have the option not to attend in-person exams. This applies for all undergraduate engineering students including first-year students."

Make-up exams for students will be held early in the winter term.

On Friday, the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health unit announced new isolation requirements for close contacts of COVID-19 cases, even fully vaccinated people.

All close contacts of COVID-19 cases must isolate for 10 days regardless of your vaccination status. If you are a close contact of a confirmed case and have not been contacted by public health, you are asked to self-isolate and get tested.

The fall term at Queen's University wraps up on Dec. 22.