You have questions about COVID-19. We have answers: The past four weeks may seem like a bit of a blur. With many of you working in new environments, learning new protocols and attempting to balance work and family life, it is natural to feel overwhelmed when looking for answers. We are making daily updates to your dedicated employee COVID-19 portal to make sure you have easy access to the latest information. On the portal, you will find detailed information on provisions to support employees and their families, and new protocols, like our enhanced wellness and personal protective equipment measures. The best part? You can login from any device. No password required.
Employee COVID-10 portal: www.blood.ca/employees
Can’t find what you are looking for? Contact us at communications@blood.ca
April 7 is Green Shirt Day: Whether you are working from home or on the frontlines, we encourage all employees to wear green tomorrow in honour of Logan Boulet. With over 4,000 Canadians waiting for a lifesaving transplant and 250 who die every year before receiving one, we can make a lifesaving difference by spreading awareness of organ and tissue donation. Share your support for Green Shirt Day on social media by using the hashtags #GreenShirtDay #LoganBouletEffect #OrgansTissuesForLife #CanadasLifeline
Convalescent plasma clinical trial: In last Thursday’s digest we let you know that we are working with the research community to design a national clinical trial on the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in treating patients with the virus. For more information, visit our dedicated page where you’ll find some helpful Q&As about the trial. At this time, we are not recruiting convalescent plasma donors because plans for the trial are still being finalized. However, we are already experiencing a great deal of interest from members of the public who are looking to participate. Should you be contacted directly by a potential donor about the trial, please forward their query to blood4research@blood.ca.
The need goes on — plasma to save a toddler’s life: Doctors diagnosed Mavrik with a rare genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to fight infection. Each immune globulin treatment he receives contains active elements of the immune systems of as many as a thousand donors. His mother’s hope is that eligible donors will keep booking appointments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic so Mavrik can receive blood products that will keep him from a lifetime of pandemic-style isolation. Read more about Mavrik’s story on blood.ca.
A heartfelt thank you: While we adjust to our new reality, it is natural to get caught up in the day-to-day. As we move into the new week ahead, we wanted to remind you that what you do matters by sharing a heartfelt note of appreciation from Canadian Blood Service’s board member, Craig Knight. He wrote to our CEO this weekend with praise for our Saanich, B.C. frontline staff.
“I donated blood at the Saanich B.C. donor centre yesterday. The many measures you spoke of and more were on full display. All staff were wearing masks. A shield protected the person at the reception desk, we lined up outside the clinic at a social distance and were kept at a distance once inside the clinic. We were checked in at the front entrance and asked a couple of questions related to COVID-19 regarding our potential exposure to it before we could go to the Kiosk. The pamphlets we always read were laminated and sanitized after reading them. There was plenty of hand sanitizer around. The donor chairs were sanitized after each donation. All staff seemed attuned to the seriousness of the situation but at the same time were welcoming and very professional. I even got my dose of Canadian Blood Services cookies on the way out the door after donating. Those are bound to protect me from the dreaded virus!”
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 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