Daily COVID-19 digest

Update on return to office:

Earlier today, Graham shared more details on our return to office plan. When we think about a return to office, it is important to note that the goal is not necessarily to return to what office work looked like prior to the pandemic, but rather to look forward toward a new normal. This will be an ongoing process and we don’t know all the details yet, but we know not everyone will come back to the office in the early phases and that the workplace of the future will be different.

For those returning to the office, we will be employing a phased approach. A dedicated project team has been stood up to create a safe and gradual return to office plan, in line with relaxed government restrictions, occupational health and safety, and public health guidance.

To read more about the plan and phases, please visit the return to office page on the COVID-19 employee portal.

Temporary change to minimum hemoglobin eligibility: Beginning today, we have temporarily lowered the minimum hemoglobin levels for whole blood donors to 120g/L for women and 125g/L for men. This 5g/L reduction is a temporary measure to increase the number of people eligible to donate whole blood. Low hemoglobin is the number one reason people who come in to donate blood are unable to. In the short term, this will put hundreds of units in our inventory, helping us meet rising patient needs. This change will be reversed when inventory challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic are no longer present. As always, we encourage all blood donors to eat a diet rich in iron and consider taking a multivitamin with iron. For some donors, iron pills are a good option.

Inventory updates on plasma protein and related products now publicly available: As the national formulary manager of plasma protein and related products for health systems in Canada (except Quebec), our Plasma Protein Products Program has been working toward regular public inventory updates on our supplies of plasma-derived medications and their alternatives. COVID-19 has increased communication with many communities, including the clinical community and patient groups. As a result, the program team expedited the release of an inventory reporting project to provide clinicians a view of product levels, and patients peace of mind during the pandemic. This report will support alerting stakeholders early to potential external factors, such as COVID-19 on our supply chain.  Inventory updates on the five major categories of the products we carry are now publicly available online. Currently, our inventory is healthy, and all patients’ needs are being met. Updates will be made every two weeks on blood.ca. As promised, Canadian Blood Services will inform and involve stakeholders early when we become aware of product inventory impacts and we will work together collaboratively towards positive solutions.

Question of the day: I work from home and I want to get a virtual assessment for my home office. How do I do this?

With many employees now working virtually, it is important keep in mind the effects on your health, safety and productivity when setting up your home workstation.

Employees working from home are encouraged to visit our ergonomics page on Connect to get tools on how to successfully set up a temporary home office. On the page you will find helpful information, including how to properly set up your computer monitor, incorporate a sit/stand desk into your setup and stretching exercises that you can incorporate into your day.

Another exciting feature of the ergonomics page is our virtual assessment tool. To receive a virtual ergonomics assessment personal to your needs, fill out the form and submit it to your manager. From there, your manager will send it to the OHS/EHS team who will schedule a virtual assessment with you.

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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.