Your digest
Reminder: Submit your video, audio or written questions in advance of our next townhall!
As we prepare for our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-themed townhall on Wed. June 2, we encourage you to send in your questions on any topic for Graham and this month’s panel of experts: Heidi Elmoazzen, director, stem cells; Chantale Pambrun, director, Centre for Innovation; Andrew Pateman, VP, people, culture and performance and Rick Prinzen, chief supply chain officer and VP, donor relations.
We welcome written or recorded questions related to our theme as well as questions on any other topics that are important to you.
To submit a video recording of your question: Using a smart phone or computer, record your question in 30 seconds or less and send to communications@blood.ca. Only questions that include your first name, role and location will be submitted.
To submit an audio recording of your question via voicemail: Call 1-800-509-3329 and record your question in 30 seconds or less. Only questions that include your first name, role and location will be submitted.
As always, you can also email your written questions to communications@blood.ca
Participate in the June 2 live townhall by clicking on the meeting link in your Outlook invite. Can’t make it live? A recording of the event will be available on your COVID-19 employee portal within 24 hours.
Nominations open on Monday for the Living Our Values awards
If you work with an outstanding team or individual who exemplifies our ICARE values of integrity, collaboration, adaptability, respect and excellence, we encourage you to show your appreciation by sharing their story and nominating them for the Living Our Values (LOV) Award of Distinction. Nominations open on May 31 and the deadline to submit is July 9. The awards are scheduled to be announced in early September 2021. Help us recognize exceptional employees by nominating them through our *new* digital recognition portal or consider recording and submitting a video nomination. Find out how to get started on Connect.
National Asian-Canadian organizations partner with us to support Canada’s Lifeline
May is Asian Heritage Month and to recognize it, we are continuing to explore the unique connections and contributions to Canada’s Lifeline by employees, donors and patients of Asian descent. In our latest feature story, we profile four national Asian-Canadian organizations who have partnered with us to support their communities and patients in need across the country, through blood and plasma donation, stem cell recruitment and financial giving. Through these partnerships and others, we are taking steps to better engage with and mobilize diverse communities and increase representation of diverse groups among our donor base. Read more about these important partnerships on blood.ca.
Blood operators provide valuable data about COVID-19 immunity
Results from the latest Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec studies, which together cover all 10 provinces, have confirmed that Canada’s overall levels of seroprevalence due to infection (the number of people who had antibodies to COVID-19 due to a past infection) remained very low earlier this year, as the roll-out of vaccines started ramping up.
Canadian Blood Services has been working collaboratively to provide Canadians and policymakers with a comprehensive assessment of infection and immunity across the country and to prepare the groundwork to track how long immunity through vaccination lasts. The research also shows widening racial inequality in both infection and vaccination rates. By January 2021, “the seroprevalence was about double in racialized donors,” says Dr. Sheila O’Brien, associate director of epidemiology and surveillance. Read the full COVID-19 Immunity Task Force release here.
Question of the day: It’s not clear when I can access my second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in my province. Can I have priority access as a Canadian Blood Services employee?
Access to and timing of your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is the responsibility of local and regional public health authorities. It is dependent upon local vaccine supply, vaccine type received for the first dose and local case counts, among other factors.
For instance, in some provinces or public health units, your second dose appointment is automatically booked when receiving your first dose while in other locations, you may be contacted to schedule your second dose, or you may have to contact the vaccination site. It all depends on your local public health authority's vaccine plan and booking system.
We have heard that in some provinces there may be inconsistencies in accessing a second dose of the vaccine dependent on how the first dose was obtained (pharmacy versus mass vaccination clinic). We encourage you to monitor updates in your area and seek the opportunity to get your second dose of the vaccine when available and appropriate as determined by local public health authorities.
Please continue to check the employee vaccine portal, where you can find out vaccine eligibility in your province.
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About your digest
This 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. No access to email? No problem — all this information and more can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required.
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Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca