COVID-19 Update September 16th, 2021

Memo to: People we Support, Families, Guardians, and Skills Society Employees

Re: Prevention and Preparedness Regarding the Novel-Corona Virus (COVID-19)

From: Executive Director and Senior Leadership of Skills Society

September 16th, 2021

Yesterday the Government of Alberta declared a state of public health emergency. New temporary public health measures came into effect today to protect our health care system due to rising cases and hospitalization, largely in unvaccinated Albertans (see below for mandatory restrictions on social gatherings). Skills Society is convening emergency meetings of Senior Leadership and our Board of Directors to make sense of these changes and implications for our organization. A message will be going out to our community in the coming days around implications for the people we serve and staff. Skills Society already has important safeguards in place (e.g. continuous masking, COVID-19 checklists for staff, daily cleaning and disinfection, etc.) and these continue to remain in place to safeguard people we serve, staff and our community as best possible. The best defense against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. Third doses are also available for immunocompromised Albertans. Appointments can be booked by calling 811, through a participating pharmacy, doctor’s office, or online through Alberta Health Services.

If you have any questions please be in touch with the Manager associated with your (or your loved one's support). We thank everyone for your patience. 

Sincerely, 

Skills Society Senior Leadership

Mandatory restrictions on social gatherings for all Albertans came into effect today: 

Indoor social gatherings

• Vaccinated: Indoor private social gatherings are limited to a single household plus one other household to a maximum of 10 vaccine-eligible, vaccinated people and no restrictions on children under 12.

• Unvaccinated: Indoor social gatherings are not permitted for vaccine-eligible people who are unvaccinated.

Outdoor social gatherings

• Outdoor private social gatherings limited to a maximum of 200 people, with 2 metre physical distancing at all times.

Note: What’s happening with COVID-19 is changing rapidly. We become aware of new information from the provincial and federal governments and health authorities sometimes on a daily or hourly basis. We are working hard to be responsive to this new information as it becomes available. As such, information in this memo may change and quickly become outdated. We are doing our best to communicate new information to the people we support, families, guardians, and staff in a timely manner.