Friends,
We have two pieces to share, to support you in preparing for the Province of BC’s moving to Step 3, and as we anticipate Step 4.
- Below is the letter the PMRC received from the Prevention Services Division of WorkSafeBC. It is tailored to employers, and the information is very helpful when discerning what your community of faith is able to ensure for congregants and staff alike.
- This is a short and practical piece from UBC’s publication ‘Beyond’ that may reassure and support us all in a mindful, pastoral approach to gathering in person, with grace and compassion: Re-Entry anxiety: How to adjust to a new, uncertain routine.
This and past information on COVID-19 specific to being communities of faith during the pandemic is also on the on our regional council website COVID-19 Support page.
Blessings,
PMRC Staff
From COVID-19 Safety Plans to communicable disease prevention
On June 17, the Provincial Health Officer issued a statement to employers on transitioning from COVID-19 Safety Plans to communicable disease prevention.
Prior to Step 3 of the restart plan, the expectation is that employers will continue to maintain and review their COVID-19 Safety Plans. Beginning with Step 3, employers will no longer be required to maintain a COVID-19 Safety Plan, and will instead transition to communicable disease prevention.
Communicable disease prevention focuses on basic risk reduction principles to reduce the risk of workplace transmission of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. The fundamental components of communicable disease prevention include both ongoing measures to maintain at all times and additional measures to be implemented as advised by Public Health.
Ongoing measures – maintain at all times:
- Implementing policies to support staff who may be sick with a communicable disease, so they can avoid being at the workplace.
- Promoting hand hygiene by providing hand-hygiene facilities with appropriate supplies, and reminding employees through policies and signage to wash their hands regularly.
- Maintaining a clean environment through routine cleaning processes.
- Ensuring building ventilation is properly maintained and functioning as designed.
- Supporting vaccination for vaccine-preventable conditions to the extent that you are able.
Additional measures – implemented as advised by Public Health:
- Employers must also be prepared to implement additional prevention measures as required by a medical health officer or the provincial health officer to deal with communicable diseases in their workplace or region, should those be necessary.
To assist employers in the fundamental components of communicable disease prevention, WorkSafeBC has developed Communicable disease prevention: A guide for employers. This guide describes a four-step process to help employers reduce the risk of communicable disease in their workplace, which involves understanding the level of risk in the workplace, application of the fundamentals and implementing appropriate measures, communicating policies and protocols to all workers, and updating measures and safeguards as required.
The Provincial Health Officer’s statement recommends that employers maintain some of their existing COVID-19 Safety Plan protocols, specifically those that do not negatively impact business operations. This may include barriers already erected in the workplace or directional signage to reduce points of congestion, as examples. This will allow for a transitional period and progression from COVID-19 Safety Plans to communicable disease plans.
Visit WorkSafeBC’s website for more information and resources on communicable disease prevention and how to prepare for Step 3 of BC’s Restart.