Hi everyone, this is Kevin. Today is Thursday, September 30th.
On Friday, September 24th, the federal government released new COVID workplace safety protocols for federal contractors. In summary, the government is requiring full COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees of federal contractors. While the guidance we reviewed states a vaccine deadline of December 8, we have asked for additional information and clarity. We will continue to update you as we learn more.
My guiding principle, and that of the EB senior leadership team, has been consistent—keep everyone as safe as we reasonably can while staying focused on designing, building and maintaining the submarines our nation needs. To date, our principles have allowed us ÂÂto stay safe and achieve our mission.
For me, taking the vaccine was a relatively straightforward decision. As you know, I contracted COVID early on, in April of 2020. While my experience with COVID resulted in mild symptoms, I knew then I didn’t want to chance a second case of COVID. I received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine with the same side effects many of you are already aware of. I learned, subsequently, that the natural antibodies and the vaccine may have reduced my risk of a second case to a level lower than either natural antibodies or the vaccine alone can provide. While the risk of contracting COVID cannot be completely eliminated, I believe I have minimized any risk of hospitalization or death from a breakthrough case.
We estimate a substantial number of the EB team have not reported their vaccine or have not been vaccinated. For those who have not yet been vaccinated, I am asking each of you personally to take action and get your shots. If you are vaccinated, I am asking you to provide documentation of your vaccination status—examples include a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or an immunization record from a health care provider or pharmacy.
In the coming days, the Human Resources team will tell you how to provide evidence of vaccination to our medical team.
COVID-19 vaccines are now available at all EB clinics and pharmacies for employees, as well as in pharmacies and clinics in the communities surrounding our facilities. Dependents of EB employees can receive a vaccination at the EB Family Wellness Center in Groton or at a community location. Keep in mind, depending on which vaccine you receive, it will take as much as six weeks before you may be considered fully vaccinated. For the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, it takes three and four weeks, respectively, between injections. Following the last injection, there is an additional two-week waiting period before you are considered fully vaccinated.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve all worked hard to keep each other safe and to comply with mandates and requirements like working from home where possible, masking and social distancing, and have worked equally as hard to adjust our work and home routines to minimize the spread of the virus while staying on mission. I personally appreciate your commitment to that mission and your support in complying with rapidly changing, and often confusing, requirements.
Thanks for all you do; we’ll talk again soon.
Kevin
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