ISSUE 192 .3 | OPINION
THEONTARION.COM
23
Returning to in-person classes at U of G isn’t easy for an immunocompromised student Though the university’s safety guidelines seem effective, they aren’t properly enforced and don’t provide enough protection against COVID-19 ARTICLE AND PHOTO BY RENEE ALKASS
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tudents at U of G made their return to in-person classes on Jan. 31 after being away from campus for nearly two years. I felt optimistic as I made my way through campus on the first day back. For the first time in a while, normalcy truly seemed to be on the horizon for the U of G community. But as I entered my first class of the day, the excitement I felt quickly turned into fear. Other than the mask mandate, business resumed as usual. No physical distancing or hand sanitizing was enforced upon entry, nor did anyone check that we all had filled out our COVID-19 daily screening forms. I wondered just how safe a return to campus truly was during a pandemic, especially as someone who has a compromised immune system. When COVID-19 first emerged in 2019, I knew that my relationship with the virus was going to be different from others. This is because I am immunocompromised due to an underlying condition, which means that I have a weakened immune system that is unable to properly create antibodies to respond to pathogens. As a result of this, my version of isolation was more intense than the average person’s, as the virus posed a more severe threat to my body. Therefore, returning to a high-traffic area such as a university campus came with many worries. When we received confirmation about returning to campus in early 2022, it seemed like a step in the right direction for the U of G community. Although online learning worked for many students, and I felt thankful to be able to continue my education from the safety of my own home, it felt like it was time to step back into an in-person classroom. Students, myself included, craved the feeling of community that the university had previously worked to establish. There were a number of mandates and safety protocols put into effect to ensure a safe return to campus, and one of these was requiring students and faculty to be fully vaccinated. As a result,
98.9% of the U of G campus was fully vaccinated for the beginning of the Winter 2022 semester. This statistic alone gave me a great amount of reassurance with the return to campus as an immunocompromised student. But during my first week of classes, I still felt scared of the virus, especially with the new threat posed by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. As such, I couldn’t help but wonder how much I would have to sacrifice in order to complete my courses and be able to graduate from my degree. Would I just have to accept that I would get sick at some point? While I think that the U of G faculty initially created a clear and manageable plan for a safe return to campus back in September 2021, there were some holes in it. Requiring students to fill out a daily screening form before they come to campus seems like it would be an effective plan, but I don’t think it holds much power. In my own experience, no one is actually enforcing the completion of these forms. Additionally, physical distancing is encouraged on campus, but not particularly imposed. For example, one of my classes has a total of 18 students, but we are placed in a classroom with only 26 seats. Thus, it is next to impossible for my professor to enforce physical distancing and, as a result, we are left sitting right beside our classmates. However, there are some newer protocols that provide safety and reassurance in protecting students from the virus. One of these is the medical mask mandate announced on Jan. 25 that requires all students and staff to wear a medical-style mask while on campus; not a cloth one, as was previously allowed. In addition, some campus buildings feel ‘safer’ than others. For example, the McLaughlin Library has been very diligent with their COVID-19 protocols. They have enforced physical distancing by implementing a two-metre distance guideline between all chairs, adhered to a capacity limit of 50 per cent within the building, and provided cleaning supplies
As an immunocompromised student, Renee Alkass hopes that students and staff at U of G will continue to be accommodating and mindful of those who have a different relationship with COVID-19.
for students to wipe down tables and chairs before and after use. Moreover, on-campus restaurants like the Bullring have very clear COVID-19 protocols that are enforced and followed. This includes checking vaccination status before dining in, as well as using the space strictly as a dining area to avoid overcrowding and prolonged visits from lounging students. While interpersonal safety protocols are important to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, I also think that developing a strong immune system holds equal importance. Oftentimes, this seems like a crucial aspect that is missing from the public health guidelines, and it is something I would like to see implemented more in the signage at U of G and on its social media. Getting more than eight hours of sleep daily, exercising regularly, eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, and minimizing stress are all ways that we can strengthen our immune systems. I think there should be more focus on how to get our immune systems in good shape so
they can be prepared to fight off viruses more efficiently. Regardless of the significant changes that are happening on campus, I can’t help but feel appreciative to have my professors, as well as my classmates, be understanding and supportive when I express my concerns as an immunocompromised student. I also feel thankful that Student Accessibility Services (SAS) has been willing to give their students accommodations when needed, especially throughout the challenges and stress of COVID-19. My experience with SAS advisors has always been positive as they go the extra mile to ensure their students are comfortable returning back to campus. I truly feel supported within the U of G community, and I’m thankful that I am able to begin adjusting to a life with COVID-19 instead of a life spent running away from it. I asked The Ontarion to conduct a poll on Instagram asking whether the U of G students and staff amongst its followers were immunocompromised. The results revealed that 25 per cent of the
61 individuals polled also suffer from a weakened immune system. With this information in mind, I do hope that those who are also immunocompromised have people in their lives to offer them support during this tricky transition to in-person learning. Moving forward, I hope that students and staff at U of G will continue to be accommodating and mindful of those who have a different relationship with the virus. I also hope that students and U of G’s public health initiatives will focus on the importance of physical and mental health in keeping our bodies in the best shape possible to fight the virus. Within my classrooms, I hope that my professors continue to encourage mindfulness regarding the transmission of the virus and try to enforce the completion of screening forms amongst their students. Living with COVID-19 has become a part of everyone's lives, and I hope that those students who do get sick stay home to keep both themselves and others in the community safe.
