COVID-19 Update June 9th, 2021 - Skills' Updated Relaunch Plan
Memo to: People we Support, Families, Guardians and Skills Society Employees
Re: Prevention and Preparedness Regarding the Novel-Corona Virus (COVID-19) - Updated Skills Society Relaunch Plan
From: Senior Leadership of Skills Society
June 9, 2021
In this memo:
Alberta’s phased approach to easing health restrictions
Skills Society’s UPDATED Relaunch Plan for 2021
Join us for Skills Society’s 40th Annual General Meeting!
Submit a message or photo for the Annual General Meeting
Alberta’s Phased Approach to Easing Health Restrictions
On May 26th, 2021 the Government of Alberta announced Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan, a 3-stage roadmap outlining how public health restrictions will be eased as vaccination targets are reached and hospitalizations decline. By Stage 3, after 70% of eligible Albertans have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, all current restrictions will be removed, with the exception of isolation requirements for those with COVID-19, and some protective measures for continuing care settings.
Skills Society’s UPDATED Relaunch Plan
The below document outlines Skills Society’s UPDATED approach to the staged relaunch of services during COVID-19 based on the most recent information from Health and Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan. Skills Society’s previous relaunch plan released on June 23rd, 2020 was built on the Provincial Government’s reopening plan announced April 30th, 2020; as the pandemic progressed and new Chief Medical Officer of Health Orders were released, we continued to follow and, as required, update our previous relaunch plan. Now, with a new reopening plan from the Government, we have archived the 2020 Relaunch Plan, and are implementing the below UPDATED 2021 Relaunch Plan based on current provincial health orders.
Skills Society’s 2021 Relaunch Plan is based on the Staged outlined within Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan and CMOH Order 23-2021. Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan consists of three stages:
Stage 1 - June 1, 2021:Triggered 2 weeks after vaccine threshold is reached (50% of eligible Albertans with first dose) and hospitalizations under 800
Stage 2 - expected to start June 10, 2021: Triggered 2 weeks after vaccine threshold is reached (60% of eligible Albertans with first dose) and hospitalizations under 500
Stage 3 - TBD (anticipated early-July): Triggered 2 weeks after vaccine threshold is reached (70% of eligible Albertans with first dose)
Stage 1 Skills Society’s 2021 Relaunch Plan outlines the measures we currently have in place. Stage 2 is an outline of measures and changes that we will put in place beginning June 10th (Stage 2). Stage 3 provides a potential plan for measures and changes to follow Stage 2.
All stages are subject to change based on new information we may receive. All measures outlined in this plan are based on recommendations and information we have received from Health Authorities, OH&S as well as the main Government of Alberta Ministry we receive funding through - PDD/CSS.
Skills Society’s 2021 Relaunch Plan can be viewed by clicking here.
Vaccines are our path out of this pandemic
Image of Dr. Deena Hinshaw with the quote, The evidence is clear: Vaccines work, and they save lives. By getting your vaccine, you're helping protect your health and the health of everyone around you.
The Province, Health and Skills Society cannot mandate vaccines for people we serve, nor for our employees. The province and Skills Society recommend following what health authorities advise and consulting one's doctor if any concerns about vaccines and then following the advice of one’s physician. To date about 77% of all the adults we serve in shared homes and single outreach homes have chosen to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. 99% of people we serve who live with roommates in shared homes have chosen to get vaccinated from COVID-19 and have received one dose (25% are fully vaccinated). Health officials all over the world advise that vaccines are the safest way out of the pandemic. The provincial relaunch plan and easing of restrictions is dependent on at least 70% of the entire Alberta population aged 12+ choosing to receive a vaccine.
There are 3 ways to book a vaccination appointment:
From a participating pharmacy
By calling 811
Join us for Skills Society’s 40th Annual General Meeting!
You are invited to our 2021 Virtual Annual General Meeting taking place on Monday, June 28th via Zoom from 6:00-8:00pm. As best we can, using an online platform, we will ‘come together’ with the people we serve, their families and friends, and supporters of Skills to check in and reflect on the year that’s gone by. The formal business portion of the event will take place from 6:00-7:00pm followed by a more informal program highlighting key moments and stories from the past year. This is a milestone year for Skills Society and the community of people we serve, as we mark 40 years together. As much as we would love to gather everyone together to honour this collective achievement, we are going to postpone the festivities until next year. We appreciate your support, patience, and understanding as we’ve had to offer our AGM online – we look forward to gathering once again – and celebrating – when it is safe to do so.
Additional details and how to register here.
Submit a Message or Photo for the AGM
We need your help to make our online Annual General Meeting extra special this year!
We are looking for the people we support, family members, and staff to send in pictures around this year’s AGM theme: leaning into what really matters. All the pictures we get will be put together to make a slideshow. We will show the slideshow at the Annual General Meeting taking place online on June 28, 2021 at 6pm.
Instructions on how to participate and submit a message or photo here.
For More Information
If you are a family member or guardian and require additional information please be in touch with the manager associated with your loved one’s support.
If you are a Skills Employeeand require additional information you can be in touch with your supervisor or Pandemic Coordinators, Linda or Ed at 780-496-9686.
Keep up to date on our COVID-19 Resources section on our website: https://skillssociety.ca/covid19-resources/.
Previous Public Memos
Public Memos are available on our website under the ‘news’ tab.
August 18th Board of Directors COVID-19 Update →
August 21st Sharing Further Health Recommendations on Ways to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 →
September 2nd A Message from Skills Society’s Pandemic Coordinator →
September 11th Ways That We Can All Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 →
September 18th COVID-19 Update →
October 30th COVID-19 Update →
November 10th Very Important Recommendations Regarding COVID-19 Prevention and Preparedness →
December 22nd Stay Safe and Best Wishes for the Holidays →
January 5th Happy New Year and Important Message →
January 20th COVID-19 Update →
February 26th COVID-19 Update →
Note: What’s happening with COVID-19 is changing rapidly. We become aware of new information from the provincial and federal governments and health authorities on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. We are working hard to be responsive to this new information as it becomes available. As such, information in this memo may change and quickly become outdated. We are doing our best to communicate new information to the people we support, families, guardians, and staff in a timely manner.