重口味SM

12 ways U of T is preparing for a safe return to in-person instruction

Safety infographic

(Infographic by U of T Communications)

Download a transcript of the infographic

In preparing for the safe return of students, staff, faculty and librarians this fall, the 重口味SM is taking a wide range of precautions to curtail the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

As the situation evolves, U of T will monitor public health guidance daily to ensure that its measures are up to date and informed by evidence.   

Everyone coming to campus will be required to take a self-reported health screening. Building ventilation systems are being inspected, air filters have been upgraded where necessary and air purifiers are being added to classrooms as needed. Room occupancy will be limited, as is the case with other enclosed spaces, from grocery stores to buses.   

鈥淲e鈥檙e exploring every possible avenue to prepare our campuses for a successful fall term that includes in-person learning, activities and other experiences,鈥 said Ron Saporta, chief operating officer, property services and sustainability. 

Here are 12 ways U of T is planning for a safe return of in-person instruction this fall:    


1. UCheck health screening  

Before visiting campus, everyone 鈥 students, faculty, staff, librarians, researchers and even contractors 鈥 must complete a health screening. The easiest way to do this is by using the university鈥檚 online self-assessment tool, UCheck. A paper-based process is also available.  

The UCheck questionnaire has been updated to reflect the latest public health guidance, takes just a few minutes to complete and can be accessed via smartphone, tablet or desktop. Submitted data is encrypted in transit and storage to protect users鈥 privacy.   

2. Scheduling changes and capacity limits  

People doing workout

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

While current public health guidelines call for two metres of separation in classrooms, Saporta said U of T is optimistic the guidance will change as the province鈥檚 vaccination campaign rolls out.

鈥淲e will review our strategy on a regular basis and take into account any changes to public health guidelines,鈥 Saporta said.

鈥淪ince we are 鈥 including reduced or even no distancing 鈥 we will be able to adapt quickly using an evidence-informed approach that adheres to evolving guidelines and, most importantly, seeks to keep our community safe.鈥

Efforts will also be made to move activities such as fitness classes outdoors while weather and public health guidelines permit 鈥 a strategy that was successfully implemented last fall. 

3. Physical distancing measures  

To help facilitate physical distancing, the university has taken steps to re-orient traffic flow in buildings by and rearranging furniture and other features to help people maintain a distance from one another.  

4. Non-medical face masks   

The university鈥檚 policy requiring non-medical masks to be worn in all indoor spaces will remain in effect in accordance with evolving public health guidelines. U of T鈥檚  and , as well as answers to frequently asked questions about masks, can all be found on the UTogether site and . 

 wearing a well-fitted masks with 鈥渁t least 2 layers of tightly woven fabric, such as cotton,鈥 plus a third middle layer of filter-type fabric, such as non-woven polypropylene.  

5. Enhanced cleaning and more sanitizing stations  

Sanitizer

(Photo by David Lee)

The university has installed thousands of touchless hand sanitizing stations and sanitizing wipe dispensers across the three campuses. U of T has also of common-use areas such as classrooms, libraries, washrooms and lobbies.   

Staff frequently wipe down and disinfect high-touch surfaces like door handles, handrails and elevator buttons.  

6. Industry-leading classroom ventilation targets  

HVAC air filter

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Classrooms that will be used for in-person teaching across the three campuses will be equipped for six equivalent air changes per hour, the same standard applied to patient examination rooms, walk-in clinics and other health-care settings.   

U of T consulted outside experts in adopting its ventilation standard.   

鈥淚n the context of the pandemic, we鈥檝e been on top of recommended COVID-19 ventilation safety measures,鈥 said Jelena Vulovic-Basic, a senior manager, operations and maintenance at U of T Facilities & Services.   

7. Upgrading building ventilation and air filtration  

The university continues to upgrade and monitor heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment where necessary as part of its . That includes monitoring and maintaining upgraded air filters that capture a greater percentage of smaller particles and outfitting some classrooms with a local air filtration device with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters.  

All building ventilation systems at U of T will continue to undergo regular maintenance to ensure air is clean and flowing into and out of buildings properly.   

As an additional measure, the university plans to flush air from enclosed spaces prior to occupancy.   

鈥淲e turn on the ventilation system two hours before anyone walks through the door, filling the building with clean air,鈥 Saporta said.   

8. Contact tracing through QR codes

As part of a voluntary pilot project, people entering some buildings will see posters encouraging them to use UCheck to scan a QR code located at the entrances. The scans will help with contact tracing in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19.   

鈥淚f we have an issue, can notify people directly about a potential exposure,鈥 said Cathy Eberts, U of T鈥檚 director, enterprise applications and deputy chief information officer.   

鈥淚t鈥檚 all through UCheck, so your information is encrypted and only accessible by our occupational health nurse .鈥&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

9. Monitoring wastewater in large residences   

 to monitor sewage for the virus that causes COVID-19.   

Some municipalities, , have been using this method to detect the virus 鈥 often before those who are infected realize they are sick.   

At U of T, the plan is to monitor wastewater from residences that house about 100 people or more.   

鈥淭he approach here 鈥 which was successfully tested during a pilot earlier this year 鈥 is we monitor building wastewater for pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic cases of COVID-19, and if we find it then we implement our outbreak prevention protocol,鈥 Saporta said.   

10. Rapid screening for some essential staff  

The university is also for U of T staff whose role requires frequent face-to-face interaction with the public, such as those working in dentistry and health and wellness.   

The screening program was developed by the Creative Destruction Lab 鈥 a business accelerator affiliated with the Rotman School of Management 鈥 and has been used by the likes of Air Canada and Scotiabank.   

The  uses nasal swabs to detect SARS-CoV-2.   

The test, which returns a result in as little as 15 minutes, can accurately identify the presence of the coronavirus roughly 85 per cent of the time and can accurately eliminate those who are not infected nearly 100 per cent of the time. Those who test positive will be referred for further testing.   

11. Department-specific COVID-19 guidelines and tools  

Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, U of T is asking each department to adapt the university鈥檚 鈥 and indeed broader public health guidelines 鈥 to its own specific circumstances.   

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to contextualize ,鈥 said Gina Trubiani, U of T鈥檚 director, occupational health and safety.   

鈥淗ow physical distancing works in caretaking may be different from how it works in a place like the Medical Sciences Building. This allows for a nimbler, more flexible response so departments can apply the general guidelines based on their circumstances.鈥 More information on department-specific COVID-19 guidelines and tools can be found on the Human Resources & Equity webpage on , as well as the Environmental Health & Safety .   

12. Supporting Ontario鈥檚 vaccination drive  

Vaccine Clinic

(Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

U of T is supplying space and volunteers to boost the province鈥檚 vaccination efforts. Earlier this month, a vaccine clinic hosted by U of T Mississauga and run by Trillium Health Partners and Peel Public Health celebrated an important milestone:    

Another clinic, on the St. George campus, is operated by the University Health Network with participation from Sinai Health and U of T. And there are plans to host a third clinic at U of T Scarborough.  

In all cases, the vaccinations are administered at the U of T-hosted sites following the province鈥檚 vaccine priority schedule and ethical guidelines.  

鈥淥ur main goal is to do what we can to partner with our hospitals and public health to serve our communities,鈥 Salvatore Spadafora, a physician and professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine who is special adviser to the president and provost on COVID-19, told U of T News.    

He later said he hoped Canada鈥檚 mass immunization effort will also help the U of T community 鈥渁rrive at a better, safer and less isolated place this fall.鈥  

As for the entire 12-step plan, Spadafora said, it will evolve with the science and the public health regulations of the day 鈥 and as case counts fall and vaccinations increase.

鈥淭he university will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these programs, as well as scientific evidence and best practices and will adapt this program as warranted.鈥

For the latest updates visit UTogether

Note: This story was updated and republished on June 27, 2021. The updated version can be found here.

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