Dear Colleagues,
I'm pleased to tell you that flu activity on our three sites seems to be slowing down a bit. Our Emergency Departments were busy over the weekend but the numbers of flu patients in our beds seems to have stabilized, our need to send staff home with flu symptoms has decreased by about 50% and our vaccination program of staff, students, volunteers and physicians is now over 10,000 people. However, the flu is still out there and we know that there are outbreaks in long term care facilities, schools and chronic care facilities. So………
Vaccination
If you haven't taken the time to get vaccinated, I urge you to do so now. The flu carts are in stationary positions - the fifth floor lounge at PMH, the de Gasperis Conservatory at TGH and the atrium at TWH. All you need is your UHN badge, a bare arm and the knowledge that taking the shot will protect you and those around you including family, friends and patients.
We are now focused on providing vaccination to our patients in the high risk groups and - pending supply of vaccine - we will continue to vaccinate patients in these groups. Information about the vaccination of patients will come from Charlie Chan's office.
At this time, with the public clinics opening up to more groups, doctors' offices receiving vaccine, and our vaccine supply earmarked for high risk patients, we are not planning for a vaccine program for family members of our staff or the general public so we urge you to take your family members to the public clinics or to your family doctor.
I will send these notes out as needed and I thank all of you who have been vaccinated because it protects our ability to care for those who need us the most - our families and our patients.
Bob
