BC Rugby has issued two key updates to our COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy.

Firstly, the BC Rugby board has agreed to remove the requirement for proof of vaccination for Members aged 5-11.

The Policy was first developed and introduced in October 2021, before a vaccination was made available to the 5-11 age group and regular changes were being made to the BC governments proof of vaccination program. The Policy anticipated vaccines becoming approved for use with younger individuals and assumed that proof of vaccine orders would be adjusted to reflect this expansion of the vaccine availability.

It is clear now that the Government of British Columbia is not looking to require proof of vaccination for the 5-11 age group. Therefore, the decision has been made to realign the Policy with the current Public Health Order in BC.

Additionally, we have amended the definition of “fully vaccinated” for Members aged 12 to reflect the current PHO. Members aged 12 only need one dose to meet the definition of fully vaccinated.

This week’s lifting of capacity restrictions in sport is positive news for Rugby in BC.

Indoor organised gatherings of any size are now allowed following masking and proof of vaccination requirements. Clubs will be able to operate Clubhouses with these key protective measures in place.

Finally, in a further positive step, the Federal Government will ease COVID-19 travel requirements as of February 28, 2022, for fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada. Pre-arrival testing will be made easier with travelers having the option to use cheaper rapid antigen tests or a PCR test to meet pre-entry requirements. This will have a significant effect on Clubs travelling to and from the U.S. during the Spring season.

We have updated our simplified COVID-19 FAQ document and Return to Rugby page to reflect the latest PHO updates, as well as updates to our Mandatory Vaccination Policy. We will continue to update this information as changes to the PHO are made.