KITCHENER -- Wilfrid Laurier University is the latest school to offer its support for healthcare workers who feel wary about returning home after work.
The school announced Monday that it had partnered with area hospitals to provide about 150 apartment-style residences starting early this month.
The residence buildings have been unoccupied since mid-March, when the school gave students two days' notice to move out in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The University of Waterloo and the University of Guelph also asked their students to leave as soon as possible around the same time.
“Providing additional housing options for public health workers is something the Laurier community is ready, able and proud to do during this global health crisis,” says Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy.
The school has already donated almost 21,000 N95 masks, 38,500 disposable gloves and 200 isolation gowns, as well as surgical masks, plastic visors, goggles and hand sanitizer.
The University of Waterloo has also stepped up to help provide relief for the local health care system, offering its residences at St. Paul's College to accommodate non-urgent patients staying at Grand River Hospital.
The University of Guelph has also offered some 5,000 unused rooms for health-care workers.
