After the vaccination mandate deadline: Next steps for students, faculty and staff


As of October 18, 2021, McMaster’s Vaccination Policy requires all students, faculty and staff to have uploaded proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to MacCheck or have an approved human rights exemption. 

Next Steps 

You can check the status of your vaccination proof by clicking the “bell” icon in the top right corner of the MacCheck digital tool.  


My vaccination proof is approved in MacCheck. What do I do now? 

Thank you for helping to keep our community safe by uploading your proof of vaccination before the deadline. You will be cleared to come to McMaster as long as you have a green checkmark in MacCheck, including the following actions: 

  1. Complete one-time COVID-19 training in Avenue to Learn if you have not already done so. 
  2. Continue to complete COVID-19 health screening in MacCheck at the start of every day you come to McMaster. 
  3. Continue to follow all health and safety measures, including wearing a mask indoors. 

My vaccination proof is pending in MacCheck. What do I do now? 

Thank you for helping keep our community safe by uploading your proof of vaccination before the deadline. While your vaccination proof is pending, you are cleared to come to McMaster as long as you have a green checkmark in MacCheck. Please continue with the following actions: 

  1. Regularly check the “bell” icon in MacCheck to keep track of the status of your vaccination proof. If your documentation is approved, follow the steps above; if your documentation is denied, follow the steps below. 
  2. Complete one-time COVID-19 training in Avenue to Learn if you have not already done so. 
  3. Continue to complete COVID-19 health screening in MacCheck at the start of every day you come to McMaster. 
  4. Continue to follow all health and safety measures, including wearing a mask indoors. 

My vaccination proof is denied in MacCheck. What do I do now? 

Thank you for helping to keep our community safe by uploading your proof of vaccination before the deadline. If your vaccination proof is denied, you are not cleared to come to McMaster until you re-upload your proof to MacCheck. 

To re-upload your proof of vaccination: 

  1. Log in to MacCheck.  
  2. Check the top right corner of your MacCheck screen for a notification bell. NOTE: If you do not see the bell, please click the “X” on the yellow banner to remove the banner. The notification bell should then be visible.  
  3. Click on the bell to review information about your “Declined” status.  
  4. To re-upload, go to the “submit vaccination attestation” page and click the Upload vaccination record link. 
  5. A File Upload window will open. Select the applicable document and click Open. 
  6. Once uploaded, the “Submit vaccination attestation” page will have an icon appear with the file name in it. 
  7. Click the Next button, and the Summary page showing that the vaccination attestation is “pending review” until the Validation Team has reviewed the submission. While your vaccination proof is pending, you are cleared to come to McMaster as long as you have a green checkmark in MacCheck. 
  8. Continue to regularly check the “bell” icon in MacCheck to keep track of the status of your vaccination proof. 

A proof of vaccination document may be declined for any number of reasons, including but not limited to: 

  • Document did not upload properly 
  • Image of document is too large 
  • Image of document is an incompatible format 
  • Image is too blurry to be reviewed 
  • Document appears unrelated to vaccination record 

If you have questions about why your document has been declined or need additional help with your MacCheck upload, please email vacc@mcmaster.ca as soon as possible. 

I have not uploaded proof of vaccination to MacCheck. What do I do now? 

If you have not uploaded proof of vaccination to MacCheck, you are not cleared to come to McMaster unless you have an approved human rights exemption. 

This means that you cannot attend campus or a McMaster-affiliated site for any reason, including but not limited to: 

  • Attending an in-person class 
  • Attending your place of work 
  • Visiting the library 
  • Attending an appointment or using a service 
  • Going to a campus eatery 
  • Attending a meeting on campus 
  • Using the gym or athletic facilities 

This also means that there may be impacts on your course or program progression for students and employment status for faculty and staff 

If you are fully vaccinated but missed the deadline to upload, please upload your proof of vaccination to MacCheck immediately.  This applies to staff, students and faculty who are working on-site or remotely. You are not cleared to come to McMaster until you do so. 

If you are partially vaccinated and are waiting for your second dose, please continue with your vaccination course and upload proof of your second dose to MacCheck as soon as you receive it. In the interim you are not permitted to attend a McMaster location.