UPDATE (original story below): Mayor Ken Johnston put out a statement Friday morning regarding city council’s vaccination policy…
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ORIGINAL – March 17
Staff with the City of Red Deer have been informed that the internal immunization policy applying to all employees is now suspended starting Mar. 17, 2022.
The policy was originally implemented on Oct. 5, 2021, as an added layer of protection to reduce transmission and minimize symptom severity to protect the healthcare system and maintain service levels, according to administration.
“There has been a shift in the provincial pandemic response over the past several weeks to learning to live with the virus. The decision to suspend our internal policy is reflective of this shift,” said Interim City Manager Tara Lodewyk.
“The policy contributed to the safety of our workplaces and lessened the impact of COVID-19 for staff, which resulted in minimal impacts to service delivery over the past five months. The decision to suspend rather than eliminate the policy speaks to our inability to foresee what COVID-19 may hand us in the future; it reserves the ability to re-implement the policy if the hazard level and situation warrants it.”
Since implementing the policy, The City confirms 92.5 per cent of City staff provided proof of full immunization and the remaining 7.5 per cent chose to provide ongoing proof of negative rapid antigen testing. With the suspension of the policy, the ongoing rapid antigen testing is not required.
The City says it will continue to encourage immunization recommendations made by the provincial and federal governments, including booster shots.
Starting Mar. 21, 2022, internal masking requirements for City staff are also being lifted unless required for specific jobs or worksites, or those who make the personal choice to continue to wear one. Staff who have worked from home since the beginning of the pandemic will also begin to move back into the traditional workspace. These adjustments to internal measures come three weeks following the province’s removal of mandatory masks in public places and lifting the work from home order.
“Safety and providing continuous services to our community is job one. That is why we are taking a cautious approach in easing of internal measures and shifting back into our offices,” said Lodewyk. “Each person experienced this pandemic differently, and this next phase that we’re moving into is no different. We will support our staff as we move into what we hope to be the post-pandemic phase.”
Other measures will remain in place for staff including physical barriers and distancing, limited in-person gatherings for training and meetings, and the requirement to stay home when sick.
The City says it will also continue to follow all health measures in place from the province, such as the current requirement for masks to be worn on municipal and intra-provincial public transit for Albertans 13 years and older, and at AHS-operated and contracted facilities and all continuing care settings. For transit services in Red Deer, this applies to all riders over 13 years old and transit operators.
Private businesses can also implement mandatory masking in their establishment.
The staff COVID-19 immunization policy has been approved by the City Manager. Council has their own immunization policy and any changes to that policy would need to be discussed and decided upon at a council meeting.
See attached FAQ for more information on the suspension of the policy.
