Canadian Blood Services employees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31, but no vaccine rules for donors
Canadian Blood Services has set an Oct. 31 deadline for its employees and contractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but there are no vaccination requirements for blood donors.
The organization says its policy applies to all staff and fee-for-service contractors. Canadian Blood Services will no longer employ those who are not fully vaccinated by the deadline without a valid exemption.
In an emailed statement to CTVNewsOttawa.ca, Canadian Blood Services said accommodations would be made for those who have legitimate human rights or medical exemptions.
"We understand that there are employees who may need to be accommodated, based on recognized medical/legitimate human rights grounds. We will balance our obligations to maintain a safe workplace and ensure the continuity of our operations, while taking every reasonable step to accommodate those who have a legitimate reason not to be vaccinated," the statement said.
Canadian Blood Services could not say Sunday what percentage of its workforce is already fully vaccinated. More information is expected in the coming days. According to CTVNews.ca data, more than 82 per cent of all eligible Canadians are considered fully vaccinated.
All volunteers with Canadian Blood Services also need to be fully vaccinated. This policy came into effect on Oct. 1. Canadian Blood Services says that while it does make room for exemptions for staff, it does not for volunteers.
"As an employer, we are required to comply with human rights legislation throughout the country. This means that employees must be free from discrimination on matters such as medical or religious reasons, should those reasons be legitimate. Because volunteers are not employees, Canadian Blood Services is not required to provide the same accommodations with respect to its relationship with volunteers," a company spokesperson said.
Blood donors do not require COVID-19 vaccination, though Canadian Blood Services says a majority of donors are already fully vaccinated.
"Canadian Blood Services is aware from surveys (of those donors surveyed) and from seroprevalence studies that over 90% of donors are fully vaccinated. We believe this number will increase in the weeks to come," the organization said.
Anyone donating blood must still follow other COVID-19 safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment and physical distancing. There is no deferral period to donate blood after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
"Like Health Canada, other national regulators, such as the U.S. FDA, do not require a deferral from blood donation after receipt of a nonreplicating, inactivated, or mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine," the organization says on its website.
Canadian Blood Services says blood donated by individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine is not associated with a risk for COVID-19 infection and the SARS-CoV-2 virus is not transmissible by blood. There are no known or suspected harmful effects of blood from a vaccinated individual to a recipient.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.