Daily COVID-19 digest
Confirmed COVID-19 case in New Brunswick: Canadian Blood Services has received confirmation from Public Health in New Brunswick that a donor who attended a mobile donor event has tested positive for COVID-19. Employees who were in direct contact with the donor at this event have been contacted by Public Health. We are following all advice from Public Health and internal protocols related to this occurrence. Unfortunately, because of the number of staff who have been impacted and have had to self-isolate, we have temporarily suspended whole blood collections in Saint John, NB. Plasmapheresis and Plateletpheresis collections are not affected. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
Canadian Blood Services to participate in national clinical trial of COVID-19 convalescent plasma: Canadian Blood Services is actively working with Health Canada and the international research community to contribute to the global effort to determine if COVID-19 convalescent plasma could be an effective treatment for the novel coronavirus. An application to design a national clinical trial on the use of convalescent plasma in treating the virus will be submitted to Health Canada shortly. Pending approval, Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec will be responsible for supplying convalescent plasma to hospitals across the country. A media release to announce our involvement in the clinical trial was issued nationally today.
Staff wellness checkpoint: Beginning Sat. April 4, Canadian Blood Services will be implementing the wellness checkpoint screening process at donation sites nationally, to now include screening of all staff, contractors, donors, visitors and volunteers. Employees are asked to comply with the process and inform any screening staff of the change. To help streamline this process, several changes will be taking place across some sites, including changes to access points and entrances. For more information and to view screening questions in advance, please visit the employee portal.
Social media shout-outs: The enhanced wellness measures that have been implemented in our donor centres are being widely recognized by many of our donors, who are taking to social media to share their positive blood donation experiences. Below are just a few of the shout-outs that @CanadasLineline has received on social media this week, acknowledging the robust cleaning and physical distancing measures and other wellness protocols we now have in place.
In the meantime, check out this new, point-of-view video from the Weather Network, where a first-time donor walks though his experience in one of our clinics, on-camera. We’re still busy pouring over all the amazing feedback we’ve been receiving so stay tuned for an extended round-up of donor messages. We will link to it in tomorrow’s daily COVID-19 digest!
About the daily digest
This daily digest will highlight the latest policy and employee support measures, resources to help you manage our new reality and original content like articles and videos to remind us that what we do matters. Things are moving quickly, so you can expect to hear from us daily. No access to email? No problem — all of this information and more can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required.
Click here to read past editions of the daily digest.
Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca