Weekly COVID-19 update April 22, 2021 A message from the Registrar Dear Colleagues,
With the increase in COVID-19 cases across the province, I am seeing an uptick in the number of regulated members seeking guidance on managing close contact in their clinics. There have been some questions concerning the currency and relevancy of the ACAC COVID-19 Pandemic Practice Directive, and if stricter requirements are necessary. As part of our regular discussions with Alberta Health, the ACAC has raised those questions, and as of now, no changes have been recommended. We will advise all regulated members if there are any future updates or changes suggested from Alberta Health.
As of April 12, 2021, health-care workers, including chiropractors, are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. If you are planning on receiving the vaccine, you are encouraged to review last week's communication, which answers some common questions about receiving the vaccine.
With this announcement, I have received an influx of questions regarding patient inquiries on the vaccination status of their practitioner. The ACAC hosted a webinar on March 4 about responding to these types of inquiries. This communication from February 18 also has a detailed guide to help you respond to patient questions on your vaccine status. If you are receiving questions from your patients that are not covered in the resources above, please contact me.
Recently, there are reports that Joey’s Eau Claire Restaurant in Calgary is facing a $17-million dollar lawsuit. The news article reports the lawsuit alleges the restaurant failed to take reasonable steps to protect staff, customers, and their immediate families from infection by COVID-19.
This is a cautionary lesson for chiropractors in Alberta.
While we do not know what the outcome of this lawsuit may be, there is the potential for similar lawsuits to be filed against any business.
Practitioners not following the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s Orders or the ACAC COVID-19 Pandemic Practice Directive could jeopardize protection provided by their Professional Negligence Providers, such as the CCPA or other insurers.
Two weeks ago, the COVID-19 communications discussed the proper and required application of screening in chiropractic clinics. I am pleased to report that in speaking with chiropractors and patients, improved screening is happening. Thank you for reviewing your screening practices and improving them where needed. Regular review by chiropractors and their staff of the ACAC COVID-19 Pandemic Practice Directive, including audits of your compliance, are an essential part of safe practice during the pandemic. Please continue to regularly review and adapt as needed your observance of the ACAC COVID-19 Pandemic Practice Directive to ensure you are practicing in compliance. Thank you for your continued diligence.
Regards, Dr. Todd Halowski ACAC Registrar
This weekly, Thursday morning COVID-19 update provides non-urgent, yet important, information and answers questions posed by members as part of the ACAC’s ongoing efforts to keep members informed about public health responses to the pandemic. If you have questions related to policy, procedures, control measures, safety, or any other topic pertaining to effectively responding to COVID-19 in your practice, please send them to registrar@albertachiro.com.
The next update will be April 29, 2021.
|