July 8, 2021
Please find included with this memo the “Interim COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for Christian Horizons”. Here is some context to the development and content of the policy.
First, early in the pandemic, several organizations within our sector worked together to develop a generic policy, consulting with our government partners and getting expert legal advice. The product of that work formed the basis of our policy.
Next, following the advice from professional health experts, scientific evidence, and government recommendation, we believe that being vaccinated is the best way to fight and protect ourselves from COVID-19. From the outset, our main priority has been to ensure the health and safety of the people who use our services and the people who support them, and their environments. With the development and availability of COVID-19 vaccines which have been approved by Health Canada, we see a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we are mindful that there are some who are not able to receive the vaccine based on protected grounds. Thankfully, as more and more people get vaccinated, it will help those who cannot receive a vaccine to be protected from this virus.
As I type this memo, one person in my personal circle is in hospital with COVID-19 on a ventilator. Several in my work and family circles have died due to COVID-19, and some were hit hard by the illness – it will be many months before they fully recover. I am grateful for the stage we are at in this pandemic, for the worldwide medical community that helped make the vaccine available, and for the people who helped develop this policy – to help us move ahead. Together, we continue to work to help people experience communities of belonging.
If you have any questions or require further clarification about this policy, please email me at dmilley@christian-horizons.org.