Queen's University Is Cancelling IRL Exams Until 2022 As COVID-19 Cases Rise In Students

If you're a Queen's University student, your exams could be pushed back until the new year — for better or for worse.

Queen's announced in a press release on December 12 that all in-person exams in Kingston will be cancelled "effective immediately" due to "rising cases of COVID-19" within the school's student population.

The decision was made "in consultation with Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health," according to the press release.

All in-person exams for the rest of the university's examination period, which ends December 22, will be moved online if possible, and if the exams are unable to be transferred online, they will be rescheduled in 2022.

Any in-person exams scheduled for December 13 or 14 will be postponed to allow faculty to create "alternative delivery formats."

Additional measures put in place

Queen's and KFL&A Public Health are also asking students to get tested for COVID-19 before leaving for winter break due to the "prevalence of the Omicron variant in the Kingston region."

"Once those students intending to leave Kingston for the winter break have received a negative rapid antigen or PCR test, and who are not high-risk contacts, are encouraged to depart as soon as possible."

The university is encouraging those who have already headed home to get a PCR test and self-isolate until they have their results.

Any students who are symptomatic or have been deemed a high-risk contact "must get a PCR test and self-isolate while awaiting test results."

If their test comes back positive, students must isolate in place for 10 days, and high-risk contacts must isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status or a negative test result.

Students living in Queen's residences who can't travel will be able to stay, and students in residence "will receive a follow-up communication with further details."

The university is also implementing reduced capacity limits at the library and the Athletics & Recreation Centre (ARC) starting December 13.