Effective May 1, 2022, UBC is transitioning from COVID-19 Safety Plans to a Communicable Disease Prevention Framework in alignment with the BC Centre for Disease Control, WorkSafeBC, and Public Health Guidance for Post-Secondary Institutions. This means the university will replace the seven institutional plans, with a Communicable Disease Prevention Framework to cover all campus activities.
If you are a part of a UBC Safety Committee, we invite the committee to review the Communicable Disease Prevention Framework. For feedback or comments, please email safety.risk@ubc.ca. To assist you in the discussion with your committee, please review the FAQ below.
Why are we transitioning to Communicable Disease Prevention?
WorkSafeBC and BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) recommends employers to transition to Communicable Disease Prevention Guidance. Our seven institution wide safety plans have now been retired and replaced with the Communicable Disease Prevention Framework. The intent of the framework is to provide best-practices guidance to prevent the spread of communicable diseases at The University of British Columbia. This guide is not meant to replace existing communicable disease exposure control plans in workplaces that require them. Instead, this guide provides general guidance on how Public Health, UBC and individuals work together to prevent the spread of communicable disease. It is intended to educate members of the campus community on such measures so that we all better understand the layers of protection.
Why is it not called a plan?
The framework outlines behaviours and steps we are able to take to keep ourselves and members of our campus community safe. Current information about controls on campus, will be posted in the COVID-19 section of the Safety & Risk Services website. Since institutional requirements will depend on the communicable disease risks in our community at any given time, the framework document outlines the approaches we may take depending on communicable diseases on campus.
Are there significant changes at an operational level?
No, the communicable disease prevention framework does not result in any additional changes at the operational level. Daily health checks, behavioural considerations (e.g. masks in indoor public environments), Campus Rules etc. still continue to be required
Where will current community requirements be posted?
Currently, we recognize the need to continue posting the latest information on the COVID-19 section of the Safety & Risk Services website. For UBC Okanagan campus updates, visit here.