COVID planning 2021

[jdtesluk]

I have not posted much COVID information here, and apologize if that has limited any sharing of information. I know most people use other media (email, roundup newsletter, and Fbook), and try to avoid doubling up on everything.
I am sharing this message due to its general application, and remain available to any questions people may have through PM or other media.
UPDATE – COVID Strategy for planting camps. – The big picture.

As the weather turns warm and sunny over the next week, many of you will be moving quickly to head off to start your season. It is important that everyone understands the general strategy for preventing COVID in the workplace, and how our efforts fit into this approach. People keep asking about specific individual steps, when the reality is that we need to understand how any one preventive measure fits into the bigger plan.
There are four basic layers to preventing COVID in planting operations. I will lay them out here. The point is not to debate the specifics of any single layer, but rather to explain the logic of how they all work together to bring us to the ultimate goal…..that goal being COVID-free workplaces in which we can breathe deeply - and exhale freely – and enjoy the season.

LAYER 1 – Individual practices prior to work. This is the key part that is up to the workers. It includes isolating and distancing as far as possible in the period prior to work in order to avoid picking up COVID. Avoiding all unnecessary visits, socialization, and indoor gatherings. Wearing masks, keeping your bubbles small as possible, keeping health logs, and travelling to work in a safe and organized manner. Your employer should be talking to you about this. The goal is to do everything possible to show up healthy and virus-free. If everyone does their part, we can greatly reduce the risk of the virus being present on day 1.

LAYER 2 – Screening, and in some cases testing, upon arrival. Workers can expect to be assessed when they show up at the muster point on day 1. This may involve questions, tests, temperature checks, and/or other steps before you have any interactions with other workers and before you enter camp. This screening process may vary based on how your camp/motel is set up, where you are coming from, and what resources your company has available. The goal here is to screen out any potential positive cases before they can enter the workplace and any shared spaces. I won’t go into total detail on testing right here but hope to explain more later about why testing is not a perfect solution and only works effectively in combination with other layers. Even with a strong pre-work screening process and the best tests, there is still a risk of COVID finding its way in.

LAYER 3 – Ultra super extremely tight COVID protocols during the first two weeks of work at least. Workers need to plan on following the strictest possible precautions for at least the first two weeks. In the case that the virus sneaks past layers 1 and 2, we need to everything we can to prevent it spreading to others – or to other pods. This means (in accordance with Min of Health Orders) wearing masks all the time inside trucks and shared inside spaces (common tents, rooms, helis, anything). Proper masks, proper distancing, eating in shifts, cleaning everything, and extra precautions all around. Companies are likely to be ultra strict in this regard, and everyone needs to do their part. If one person is sick, that can be easily handled. If an entire pod is exposed, that will present a challenge but the employer should be able to manage this and keep things running while that small group recovers. However, if the virus spreads through a camp and multiple pods, one could expect a total shutdown for several weeks, and this could even jeopardize the season. Worst of all is that infection of a whole camp has a strong likelihood that at least some people could be seriously affected, and we want to protect each other at all costs. People first. Simply put – first two weeks like Fort Knox. We all know this will be hard, but we rely on each other to do our very best to achieve that goal of COVID-free operations. There will be mistakes and slip-ups, but we need to be kind and help each other keep in line. There will be ongoing precautions through the year, but the first two weeks are critical.

Layer 4 – All the support systems in case someone falls ill. The industry has worked hard to secure access to enhanced online medical support (and potential onsite services) if the need should arise. They have also increased the capacity of their camps to enable anyone with symptoms (even if it’s just a cold) to be isolated as a precautionary measure until tests prove them healthy. While the industry did not experience any positive cases of COVID in 2020, they are taking nothing for granted this year, and are continuing to make plans to ensure proper support is available to workers in case they fall ill. The industry is also continuing to seek Government support for vaccine access for planters, and basic plans are in place to deliver vaccines onsite or to central hubs if and when the actual vaccines are allocated to the sector. There are no guarantees on this front, but plans are being made in case the opportunity arrives.
So, hopefully this clarifies the general plan, and helps explain how all these layers work together. These layers may look different across different companies, but all 4 layers should be in place in some form. You should be asking your employer or crew boss about these plans to (A) verify they have a plan, and (B) what you need to do to help it succeed.

[Scooter]

This is a nice summary, thanks.

One thing that I keep pointing out to my people is that Fort Knox is not "two weeks." It's two weeks after the last group arrives. The bulk of my people start to show up for April 18th, but I have nineteen people who show up later on five specific pre-planned arrival dates (A23, A27, M1, M5, M9). This couldn't be avoided, because many of them are still in the middle of their university exam periods as we start planting. These specific dates are the camp's days off, when it's easier to accommodate and process incoming workers.

So because of this, Fort Knox has to extend until May 23rd - fourteen days after the last group arrives.

[jdtesluk]

Good point Scooter. That's why I generally say the first two weeks "at least". Some companies have actually set deadlines for showing up. I know that's not easy for all. Others have planned to use a split camp capacity to run two isolated groups, with one potentially achieving COVID-free before the other.

I'm just hoping that we never have to do this again after this season.

[Scooter]

I think after this is all said and done, or perhaps now (while memory is more fresh), the industry needs to commission someone to spend a couple days to lay down a very detailed history and documentation, just in the case the same type of information could be useful to the industry again in the future. Institutional memory can be short in some industries.

[jdtesluk]

UPDATE – New Health Orders and 2-Weeks (+) to Easier Times
Greetings friends and colleagues. A new Order has been enacted today by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) to cover all industrial camps and remote resource operations (not yet posted, but soon to be on Ministry sites). This greatly clarifies what planters need to plan for this season.
The BIGGEST details in this order are special provisions, specifically for tree planting operations, that are aimed at supporting mental health and allowing people to endure the demands of this job. I cannot emphasize enough how positive it is for the industry to be acknowledged by the highest officials in the Ministry of Health, and to be provided flexibility in how they live and work. This is ENTIRELY due to the excellent work done by everyone in 2020. We need the same commitment now, to make these new rules work, and to ensure nobody gets complacent and tips the boat.
Here is the deal.
Overall, rules in the workplace are much stricter, particularly around use of masks and physical distancing. Simply put, the spread of variants presents a level of risk that is estimated at some 20-30 times higher than what we faced last year, and we MUST do everything to prevent COVID from entering and spreading within camps.
However (THIS IS THE GOOD PART!) – if a camp completes 2 weeks of operations with the same crew, without any signs of COVID, and without compromising isolation of the camp, they can change the way they operate – this includes removing masks (in workplaces and trucks) and relaxing physical distancing rules. This means, people can socialize, gather, hug, high-five, communicate with the full range of facial expressions, and play red-rover on the landing like they normally would. I am not aware of any other workplace that will have this exception. This will bring people back together, without stress of rules.
Now, keep in mind, this relaxation of rules is conditional. It does mean that the camp must remain isolated without anyone going in and out of town except for deliveries and key approved purposes. Also that two week period may actually be 2+ or more (3?) if part the camp arrives later than the rest. Camp moves will have to be carefully planned so that people go DIRECTLY from one location to another, without group trips to the DQ. Every person in the camp will be reliant on each other to maintain the bubble. Some small groups or individuals may even have to operate separately as their own bubble to permit the larger camp to reach that COVID-free status in a timely manner. Failure to meet these conditions will result in planters being placed back under the same rules as everyone else, with all masks all the time and enforced distancing.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING – is that none of this happens unless we get through the first two weeks healthy. This needs to be everyone’s goal – to show up COVID-free and then follow all the rules of the workplace to the letter of the Order for the first few weeks. If asymptomatic COVID arrives in camp undetected, the only thing preventing an outbreak will be good practices – proper masks worn properly, physical distancing and eating in shifts, constant handwashing and sanitization, tight bubbles on crews, and instant and honest reporting if you start to feel even a little bit off. We need to be far more careful than ever before and help each other follow the rules. This will not be easy, but you can do it, and there is a clear reward to your efforts.
Let’s be clear. There is a very real chance that some people may have or get COVID. This does NOT have to end the season for anyone. Companies are prepared to respond, provide immediate health care, and do what it takes to let everyone else stay working. However, we need people to care for themselves and report any symptoms so we can respond quickly and prevent any longer or wider shutdown.
There will be more updates in the days to come on more specific parts of the Order and guidelines. I hope everyone recognizes the significance of the attention paid to our sector and see this as an opportunity to create awesome camp environments in which we can get back to that closeness that can be such a great part of planting.

[newforest]

Are vaccines going to reach availability levels for planter age groups to get them during your upcoming season?

[jdtesluk]

When BC received an unexpected supply of AstraZeneca vaccines, there were plans in place to provide advanced access to resource workers, and the planting industry put in a strong appeal to be included in that advance rollout.
However, concerns with AstraZeneca led to that program being delayed while more research was done.
Now, Health Canada has official approved the AZ vax, but it still has to go through the NACI (Immunology group) before provinces can then conduct their own evaluation to proceed.

In the meantime, planters can access vaccines in their home community according to age groups or residency. In some cases, there may be excess supplies at local pharmacies that can be accessed by those that with to receive the vaccine.

There is a chance that an advance dedicated rollout could still occur mid-season for tree planters. If this occurs, there are basic plans in place to mobilize medical services, with an estimate of being able to cover the whole industry within about 10 days.

Still, vaccination does nothing to change rules in workplaces, as immunity is only achieved by large groups (i.e. society) as opposed to companies. More over, reaching full vaccine efficacy requires several weeks after the second shot, and is unlikely to occur until well after the season.

[newforest]

So it sounds like ultimately there will be vaccination of planters during planting season then.

I just wanted to pass along an angle to it all that you may not realize. And I thought this might be more of a low key place to kick this around. Though maybe this won’t apply to the AZ vaccine anyway; I don’t know if that is a 2 part mRNA vaccine or the 1 part style, which is different.

You might wish to consider this: vaccine reactions. Obviously there is a very tiny chance those could be at a level of requiring professional medical care, advice, etc.

What is more likely is a reaction that is not serious at all - but can impact the ability to plant trees temporarily.

I received my first Moderna (an mRNA style) vaccine dose a few days ago. (A bit of amusement from the nurse when she started the process: “Wow you are super tensed up, you need to relax first. <pause> Oh, wait. Those are just your regular muscles.” I think medical pros rarely meet tree planter bodies.)

Afterwards I went out and planted the rest of the day, though a very creamy job. Then I worked in my seed shop space a little late that night, and didn’t really get enough sleep. The next day at 24 hours post-injection I felt great. I proceeded to a planting job but at 28 hours post-injection my body crashed and crashed hard - couldn’t plant. I could still function OK, had no pain or other symptoms, just zero energy. I drove away fine too. But then I was in bed for 11 hours.

The next day I worked for 5 hours on a low key, low density tubing job. 5 hours was the limit though, had to stop. Drove a long drive home, no problems, symptoms, etc. But much exertion was out of the question.

Yesterday I had another 2 hours of exhaustion at 78-80 hours post-injection, though hadn’t been working otherwise. Today I planted only a little; could have planted more but decided to bank up a little more rest just ... in case, I guess. I expect a long run of planting days from tomorrow on and never felt any reaction symptoms at all today.

I do feel my lack of a proper sleep hours total the night after the shot was probably a mistake, looking back. But I am in basic tree planting excellent general health, conditioning, quality diet, etc. But I still had those not-all-that-dramatic reactions — that did end up impacting my planting schedule. And that was a surprise.

You definitely might want to consider having a day off after a vaccination, so your immune system can do it’s thing while your body’s other systems are not in full-go planting gear. In my opinion.

[Scooter]

I've heard from several people who were fairly tired or even exhausted either 1 or 2 days after the injection. So that's a good point. If this option became available, it might be wise to rearrange the planting schedule to give everyone a day off for the day following vaccination.

I've also noticed that younger people seem to be more tired following vaccination. But this is such a small sample size that I'm familiar with, so this has no likely validity. Although I suppose that a younger person's body might be better able to mount a stronger and faster antibody defense, which would wear a person out more up-front.

Anyway, that's pure speculation.

[newforest]

Overall the experience just reminded me of that first day of I’m-getting-a-cold feeling, and how I know that for me, if I ignore that and try to just power through it anyways, the cold turns out to be worse. Something I learned a long time ago now. Though I rarely ever catch a cold, I can easily tell the difference between an oncoming cold and a few pollen sniffles.

I think most people who use their body’s abilities to earn money have a basic understanding of this concept. A little more carefulness with rest, etc., could well have impacted me less, who knows. I kind of doubt many have considered vaccination and athletic performance yet, though possibly.

Tripled my planting today, no further impacts.

[Scooter]

A black eye for the industry:

https://www.mycariboonow.com/71784/covi ... one-death/

And this is about two companies that numerous industry stakeholders had warned the government about. But the government just wanted to take the lowest possible bid price.

[Scooter]

From today's Rumour Mill RoundUp newsletter from the WFCA:

To be precise there are an estimated 4,731 tree planters in the field this week in BC — this is according to forestry work attestations received by our government. Close to 3,200 are working from 68 camps with another 1,300 located in 93 hotels. With the exception of the COVID-19 outbreak in Quesnel, we have reports, so far, of only three workers testing positive on three crews, all of whom were complying with the PHO order and practices. As a result, only two crews had to isolate affected cohorts as required by law. Now all workers involved are healthy and back at work. Nearly all isolating crews in BC are at, or have passed, the period when infections are likely to show up. BC Forest Safety Advocate Jordan Tesluk is working with the BC Ministry of Public health and contractors to vaccinate as many as 2,000 workers at various locations throughout the province starting next week. Many employers have already worked with health units to take advantage of surplus dosages in communities they are working near. Alberta health authorities are expected to adopt similar protocols as BC that would allow self-contained crews to enjoy closer to normal socializing once they have gone sufficient time without anyone testing positive, combined with following a regimen of rapid antigen testing on site. Alberta is expected to plant close to 100-million seedlings this year with an estimated 1,000 workers, many of whom work in BC as well.

[Scooter]

A story about Jerry Krouzel, the recent Covid victim:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british- ... -1.6048725