On Friday, September 24, 2021, the Government of Quebec passed the decree confirming that as of October 15, 2021, all health care workers must be adequately protected against COVID-19.
What does it mean to be adequately protected?
Any person who:
- Has received two doses of any of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccines or the AstraZeneca/COVIDSHIELD vaccine, with a minimum interval of 21 days between doses, and whose last dose was received seven days or more ago
- Has contracted COVID-19 and has received, seven days or more ago, a dose of either of the vaccines referred to in paragraph 1, at least 21 days after the illness
- Has received one dose of Janssen vaccine for 14 days or more ago
- Has contracted COVID-19 within the last six months.
Who should be adequately protected?
All health and social services workers, students or volunteers, whose activities:
- Involve direct contact with inpatients or outpatients;
- Involve direct contact with the above-mentioned, in particular because of the sharing of common spaces;
This means that all workers, employees, students, interns and volunteers who work on all MUHC sites, including the administrative sites, must be adequately protected.
MUHC employees, if they have not already done so, should forward proof of adequate protection by email to [email protected], or risk being considered not adequately protected.
Who is not required to be adequately protected?
- Employees working from home
- Teleworkers who are asked to go back to working on site must be adequately protected
- Employees who are not currently working - on salary insurance or on leave
- Adequate protection will be required when they return
Exemptions
A person is exempt from vaccination and deemed to be adequately protected against COVID-19 if he or she:
- Has a contraindication to vaccination against this disease certified by a health professional authorized to make a diagnosis and who is listed in the vaccination register maintained by the Minister of Health and Social Services;
- Has participated in a clinical study conducted by Medicago Inc. to validate the safety or efficacy of a candidate vaccine against COVID-19;
Sanctions
The decree provides for the following sanctions:
- That a health and social services worker who cannot comply and return to work shall not receive any remuneration, benefit, fee or other form of compensation;
- That any health and social services worker who is a member of a professional order and who is not adequately protected against COVID-19 is committing an act derogatory to the dignity of his profession.
Responsibility of health care workers
- Health and social care workers identified above are required to be adequately protected against COVID-19;
- Health and social care workers are required to submit proof of adequate protection against COVID-19;
- The transmission of the required proof of vaccination shall take place no later than October 1, 2021 or, failing that, as soon as possible from the moment the proof is available.
At the discretion of the employer, an employee may be reassigned to other duties within the scope of their job title, which do not require adequate protection, and only if it meets the needs of the service. Exceptions will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
The HR FAQ on the intranet has been updated. If you have any questions, please consult your manager.
PLEASE NOTE: The COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline (514) 744-4738 has been re-instated to answer vaccination questions from staff. Leave your message and an agent will get back to you with the answer as quickly as possible in French or English.
Book your vaccination at the MUHC
If you have still not received your first or second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19, please follow the steps below to book your appointment. You will also find a “how-to” guide to help you through the booking process.
Link to access the Clic Santé platform for MUHC healthcare workers: https://clients3.clicsante.ca/50026
Warning: DO NOT SHARE THIS LINK. Please note that the above registration link is strictly confidential and reserved for the use MUHC healthcare workers. Violators may face appropriate consequences and invalid appointments will be cancelled without notice.
Please note that it is your responsibility to:
- Communicate your appointment information with your manager to avoid any negative impact on your service prior to booking your appointment;
- Ensuring that you meet the prescribed timeline (currently three (3) weeks) for booking your second dose.
You can also get your vaccination at designated facilities in your area by making an appointment through the following link:
Human Resources, Communications and Legal Affairs Directorate