Canada COVID-19 Announcement: From Angelo Gravina

This week marks our first week with the strengthened weekend shift. This decision made assembly areas less dense and hence, social distancing was easier to achieve in those areas. In my perspective, this fortified weekend shift appears to be helping with social distancing for both day and afternoon shifts. If you have ideas for improvement, I strongly encourage team members to please bring it up with their leadership team. We are always open to “tweaking” the plan. If we all work together, I am confident we can find a formula that will provide a safer work environment and still meet our customer’s demands.

Some team members asked me about the use of masks. S&C Canada is closely monitoring the position of both the World Health Organization (WHO) and Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, with respect to the use of masks. Dr. Theresa Tam recently stated that Canadians can use a non-medical mask (e.g. home-made face coverings) to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Wearing a mask is an added layer of protection that can help prevent pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic people from inadvertently infecting others with COVID-19. However, she advised that the use of non-medical masks should be applied in connection with other preventative measures, including social distancing measures and staying at home, to limit the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. S&C Canada would like to add the following measures which include frequent hand-washing and staying at home if you or someone you are in close contact with is sick.

• As per the CDC, if you are healthy, masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.
• Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
• Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks.
• To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

Furthermore, S&C Canada is working to procure masks. If you have a personal mask, either purchased or homemade, please feel free to wear it at work. If you would like to make your own mask, attached is a document outlining three different “do-it-yourself” mask designs. As you can imagine, obtaining enough disposable masks for the entire S&C Canada population is proving challenging during these times, but I am confident our Supply Chain team will be successful in short order.

We presently have 9 Canadian team members out due to illness, travel and family; down from last week’s announcement of 18 team members. To-date, no team members have tested positive for COVID-19. Human Resources (HR) have been diligent in monitoring these team members over the course of their quarantine and clearing them when it is safe to return to work. If you are feeling ill or have been in contact with an individual who may have the COVID-19 virus or is experiencing any sickness, please do not come to work and continue to follow HR guidelines and reach out to HRHelp@sandc.com.

If you have not already done so, please sign up to S&C Canada’s a private Instagram page at: sccanadaupdates to receive the latest updates on what is happening at S&C Canada.

I would like to wish you all a wonderful long weekend. Please stay safe. During these times, it is customary to spend time with family. I encourage you to please stay home and phone your loved ones. Let’s all work together to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Sincererly,
Angelo Gravina

Click here for additional information on the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and how to make cloth face coverings.