CMHA staff must be fully vaccinated by Dec. 16

GUELPH – After consultation with staff, health care partners, and the community, the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington (CMHAWW) will require all of its employees, volunteers, students, board members and external contractors to be fully vaccinated “to ensure the strongest level of protection possible.”

With scientific data demonstrating the effectiveness of the vaccines in curbing the spread of COVID-19 and the increased risk of the Delta variant to unvaccinated individuals, CMHAWW is adding vaccine requirements to its existing COVID-19 safety protocols, along with mask requirements, daily screening, hand hygiene and increased disinfection efforts, a press release states.

CMHAWW is instituting the policy with a phased-in approach.

Effective Oct. 18, all new employees, students, volunteers, board members and external contractors must confirm full vaccination.

All current employees of CMHAWW will have until Dec. 15 to provide confirmation of vaccination.

CMHAWW staff who have not been fully vaccinated or who have not been granted an exemption in accordance with policy may be placed on a non-disciplinary, unpaid leave of absence.

Every effort will be made to compassionately support staff who are hesitant to receive their vaccination with individual plans to ensure they have access to everything they need to make the decision, the release states.

“Along with our partners in the health care system, we are enacting this policy to protect the health and wellness of the community we serve, as well as ensuring those who work at CMHAWW are as safe as possible against COVID-19 and its variants” stated Helen Fishburn, CEO of CMHAWW.

“We rooted this decision in science, and will provide significant support to staff in their decision making to ensure that science and compassion are equally considered and offered.”