A letter to our Personal Support Workers, from Carey Lucki, CEO
Dear colleagues and friends:
As we find ourselves facing down another (hopefully final) wave of COVID-19, I’m writing you today with a personal request.
Since the pandemic began, science has focused on protecting individuals and curbing the spread of this serious virus. Infectious disease specialists say the creation and delivery of vaccines so quickly is nothing short of miraculous, and I agree.
But, I understand that the speed of these vaccines has caused some of you to worry about safety. I also understand that you might feel confused – news about issues with vaccines has been changing constantly, and it’s hard to stay current about who is eligible and who is not. Misinformation, especially on social media, can be frightening. You may have heard stories from friends and family which have made you worry. The media is covering a pandemic for the first time, and they may also have trouble interpreting scientific data. In their rush to be first, they do not always get their information right.
With all that in mind, today I am most concerned about our unvaccinated staff at Circle of Care. The new dominant strain of COVID in Ontario is more dangerous for you, your clients, and for everyone. It can spread between people much more easily, and it’s more likely to sicken and hospitalize younger people. Those in ICU today are much younger than we’ve seen in the last year.
Your choice to vaccinate is your own, but I’m asking you to consider it, even if you have turned it down before. I want you to be safe, and I want your families to be safe. Of course, I want our clients to be safe.
Hundreds of millions of people around the world have already been vaccinated, and serious side effects have been very rare. After a year of heartbreaking death and isolation in long term care centres, deaths and sickness among seniors have dropped dramatically, thanks to vaccinations.
So today I’m asking “What’s holding you back?” Can we offer more information? Are there experts you’d like to hear from? A concern you’d like addressed? Send an email to Communications.Grp@circleofcare.com and let me know.
The decision is yours. Please take a moment today to think about joining hundreds of your colleagues who’ve already taken the step to protect themselves, their families, and everyone else. I want you to be safe because you are important to us, to your family, and to your clients. Protect yourself so you can protect them.
Sincerely,
Carey