Category: Informed

Vaccine Supply – Onsite Vaccine Clinic Administering Moderna Spikevax

Shared on behalf of Jennifer Wintermans, EVP, Communications & Corporate Relations, COVID-19 Lead

Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre’s onsite COVID-19 vaccination clinic continues to support staff receiving first, second and third doses of COVID-19 vaccine. With the current influx of COVID-19 positive cases in our province, and rapid spread of the Omicron variant, Ontario has ramped up the third dose “booster” shot campaign to include all people 18+ as eligible to receive their third dose.

Due to the supply shortage of COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as reported by the Ministry of Health, starting January 4th our onsite vaccination clinic will only offer the Pfizer vaccine for those under 30 years of age only, and Moderna Spikevax will be offered to those 30 years of age and above. This is due to data showing the increase in the number of reports of pericarditis/myocarditis following vaccination for those under 30 with the use of Moderna Spikevax.  

The use of Moderna Spikevax and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can be used interchangeably and everyone is encouraged to take whatever booster vaccine is available.With this being said, the use of Moderna Spikevax is safe and effective when fighting off COVID-19 and is noted by the Ministry of Health as possibly more durable than Pfizer-BioNTech.

Fully vaccinated health care workers (including staff, professional staff, learners and volunteers) at our Hospital who have received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least three months (84 days) ago, are eligible to receive their third dose by drop on or by booking an appointment at the Hospitals onsite vaccination clinic.

Be sure to send your vaccination receipt to Occupational Health and Safety (ohs@tbh.net) as soon as possible, whether you have received your first, second or third dose from the Hospital’s clinic or an external source such as your primary health care provider or the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our patients, families and other staff members safe.

All Hospital COVID-19 updates and resources are available on the iNtranet at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/. 

Holiday Cheer from the NICU

During the holiday season, Hospital staff put up decorations in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and prepared keepsake photos and artwork for families to cherish. The NICU also had its own Elf on the Shelf! The NICU’s health care team has worked tirelessly to ensure families are supported while separated from their babies. Thank you to the parents of William, Harper and Beckett for letting us share photos of the newest additions to their families.

Infectious Disease Emergency Leave Extended to July 31, 2022

Shared on behalf of Jennifer Wintermans, EVP, Communications & Corporate Relations, COVID-19 Lead and Amy Carr, Interim, CHRO Director, Human Resources

Recently, the Ontario government announced the extension of the Infectious Disease Emergency leave (IDEL) program that provides eligible employees with up to three days of paid leave until July 31, 2022 (previously set to expire December 31, 2021).

Paid IDEL is provided for the following reasons as they relate to COVID-19:

1. The employee is under medical investigation, supervision or treatment;

2. The employee is acting in accordance with public health order;

3. The employee is in quarantine or self-isolation;

4. The employee is under a direction from their employer due to a concern the employee may expose others in the workplace;

5. The employee is providing care or support to a family member who is under medical investigation, supervision or treatment, or is in quarantine or self-isolation, or is subject to a control measure related to COVID-19.

Eligible employees are entitled to a maximum of three days of paid IDEL of up to $200 per day.

We remind Managers and Timekeepers that IDEL is meant to cover eligible leaves that are not covered under the existing hospital sick plan. For example, this would include part-time and casual employees who are sick with COVID-19 or experiencing vaccine side effects or full-time employees who are providing care or support to a specified family member.

Full-time employees who are sick with COVID-19 or are experiencing vaccine side effects will continue to be coded using regular sick coding in StaffRight (unless they have exhausted their paid sick leave entitlement, in which case they would be eligible for IDEL). OHS will advise Managers/Staffing of the applicable coding.

For additional information regarding IDEL, please visit the ESA website:

https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/infectious-disease-emergency-leave#section-4

For more questions or concerns, please contact Human Resources by calling 684-6227, or by email at humanresources@tbh.net.

Supporting the Children’s Aid Society’s Holiday Hamper Program

This year, the Housekeeping/Laundry/Portering departments sponsored a single parent family through the Children’s Aid Society’s holiday hamper program. In addition to collecting all of the items on the family’s wish list, they were also able to provide them with numerous gift cards for food, household items, and toys.

Members of the Housekeeping/Laundry/Portering team has demonstrated their true spirit of the holiday season by giving to those in need. The team’s generosity will undoubtedly help ensure this family has a very special holiday season.

Donating to the Dew Drop Inn

This holiday season, the Housekeeping/Laundry/Portering departments, and the Nutrition & Food Services department at our Hospital were in the giving spirit and held a friendly competition to see who could collect the most food items in support of St. Andrew’s Dew Drop Inn.

After only one month of collecting, the Housekeeping/Laundry/Portering departments collected 226.6kg in food donations, and the Nutrition & Food Services department collected 309.0kg in food donations.

Thanks to the generosity and support of these amazing teams, a total of 535.6kgs (1,178.32lbs) in food was donated to the Dew Drop Inn!

We are very thankful for the work that the Dew Drop Inn does to support the in-need within our community, and are proud to contribute towards their efforts this holiday season.

Thank you to all Hospital staff who helped make this food drive an overwhelming success.

Employee Donor Spotlight: Madeline, Human Resources

Today we’re shining the Employee Donor spotlight on Madeline from Human Resources, who’s been donating for 3 years!

“I choose to give because here at the Hospital, we service our own friends, family and community members. It’s a privilege to support the health and well-being of our community through the giving program and the overall services we provide.” says Madeline.

Thank you, Madeline!

Employee Donors are Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre staff who donate through payroll deductions, helping to fund Hospital equipment in the area that means the most to them. Their dedication to better local healthcare is shown in both the hard work they do and their donations. Thank you to Tbaytel, who matches annual Employee Donor contributions up to $7,500!

If you’re a Hospital employee you can sign up, too! Learn more at www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/imin

The Thunder Bay 50/50 is back for 2022

The Thunder Bay 50/50 is back for 2022!  After the success of the 2021 draw, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation is excited to announce that the monthly draw will continue for 2022. The Grand Prize draw will happen on the last Friday of each month.

The Thunder Bay 50/50 started in January of 2021 as a way to raise money for the Hospital while regular fundraising efforts and events were put on hold due to the pandemic.  The community support for the Thunder Bay 50/50 has been incredible, and millions of dollars of equipment purchases and infrastructure upgrades were made possible from proceeds of the draw.

In 2022, all net proceeds from the draw will continue to support the highest priority medical equipment needs at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and its regional programs.  In 2021, some of this equipment included a 3T MRI scanner, an ICU bariatric stretcher chair, portable medical lifts, automated medication dispensing units, a general ultrasound unit and probes, and large volume infusion pumps, to name a few.

“The feedback on the Thunder Bay 50/50 has been incredible, so it was a no-brainer to continue for 2022.  The 50/50 program has helped us purchase some great equipment for our hospital, giving our caregivers the tools they need to provide the best possible patient experience.  We are excited to be able to extend the draw for another year, and continue to help our Hospital,” says Glenn Craig, President and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.

Ticket sales for the December 2021 50/50 Draw are still open, and the jackpot is currently at $1.5 Million and growing.  You can purchase tickets at www.thunderbay5050.ca until 11:59 pm on Thursday, December 30.  Grand Prize draw happens on Friday, December 31, 2021.

Ticket purchases for the January draw will open on Friday, December 31, 2021 at 11:30 am at www.thunderbay5050.ca, with the Grand Prize draw happening on Friday, January 28, 2022. 

Questions about the draw can be sent to info@thunderbay5050.ca. Ticket purchasers must be present in Ontario to purchase and 18 years old or older. The Thunder Bay 50/50 continues each month with the Grand Prize drawn on the last Friday of the month.

2021 Lottery licence RAF1199631
2022 Lottery licence RAF1222518

Video – Glenn Craig, President and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation announces the 2022 Thunder Bay 50/50.

Access the video here:

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