Vaccination Policy at ASP

Peel

Vaccine bottle

As an organization we are committed to safeguarding the health, wellbeing and safety of our staff, students, volunteers, independent contractors, clients, and community partners. This includes both our physical and psychological health and safety.

On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that COVID-19 is a pandemic virus.  The prevalence of the Delta variant of concern globally and within Ontario, which has increased transmissibility and disease severity than previous COVID-19 virus strains. In addition there exists, or may exist, an immediate risk to the health of persons anywhere in Ontario from COVID-19.  

The Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) is of the opinion that many health care workers in higher risk settings remain unvaccinated, posing risks to patients and health care system capacity due to the potential (re) introduction of COVID-19 in those settings placing both health care workers and patients at risk of COVID-19 infection.  

The CMOH is also of the opinion that patients within hospitals and home and community care settings who are more vulnerable and medically complex than the general population are more susceptible to infection and severe outcomes from COVID-19.

In response to the opinion of the CMOH that there exists or may exist an immediate risk to the health of persons anywhere in Ontario from COVID-19, Directive #6 was issued under Section 77.7 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA), R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7 on August 17, 2021, and goes into effect September 7, 2021. Vaccination against COVID-19 helps reduce the number of new cases and severe outcomes including hospitalizations and death due to COVID-19.

ASP’s Vaccination Policy effective September 7, 2021.

In order to ensure all staff, students, volunteers, and independent contractors are adequately educated about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines, pursuant to the Minister’s Directive #6 for Public Hospitals, ASP will require they must provide one of the following:

  • Proof of full vaccination(i) against COVID-19 or
  • Written proof of a medical note that sets out: a documented medical exemption  for not being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.These staff are not considered fully vaccinated and will be subject to the outlined COVID testing requirement(ii).
  • Staff that have chosen to not get vaccinated will be required to provide proof that they have completed ASP’s approved COVID-19 vaccination education program about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.  Such individuals will be subject to the outlined COVID testing requirements(ii). 

It is an expectation that every eligible staff, student, volunteer, and independent contractor will be fully vaccinated(i) by October 31, 2021.

We would like to say thank you for your continued support and patience as we continue to navigate this global health crisis. And while we do not know for sure what the future holds with respect to the evolving Federal, Provincial and Public health directives, guidances and orders with respect to COVID -19, we take very seriously that we really have a responsibility to provide an environment that’s safe for our clients, staff and visitors, and that will remain our #1 priority in all decisions we make.

 

(i) “Fully vaccinated” means having received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine or combination of COVID-19 vaccines approved by WHO (e.g., two doses of a two-dose vaccine series, or one does of a single-dose vaccine series); and having received the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days ago.

(ii) The testing requirement is that the individual is required to submit to twice a week testing for COVID-19 and demonstrate a negative result.  

 

Thank you.

Chris Rawn-Kane, CEO.