On March 19, thousands of post-secondary students in Ottawa were given three days to vacate their residences, due to the threat of COVID-19 spreading in their close quarters.
Carleton made an exception for international students, who can’t return home due to travel restrictions. While the University of Ottawa made it a requirement for all students who can leave to do so, Carleton merely strongly recommended it.
Although the vast majority of students living in residence have returned home, Carleton students who prefer to remain in residence are still allowed to do so.
But the more people staying in residence, the higher the risk is to everyone if the virus does enter their buildings.
International students—and other students with exceptional circumstances preventing them from living elsewhere—are entitled to the chance to properly protect themselves. Every extra person living in residence exponentially increases the danger to everyone else, and makes it harder to properly distance.
Every student who has the means and ability to leave residence should have done so weeks ago. If they haven’t, they should accept the fact that they are putting those who don’t have a choice at risk.
File photo.
