01/14/2022
Heart & Stroke's National COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines and Policy for In-Person Resuscitation Training
Background and rationale
Our Shared Commitment to Safety
Heart & Stroke, as a leading national health charity, is dedicated to advancing evidence-based science in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and stroke. We recognize Health Canada’s guidance that “vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect our families, communities and ourselves against COVID-19.”[1]
Resuscitation and first aid courses require instructors and students to often work in close proximity to one another even when maintaining social distancing, and the training itself can be quite strenuous, causing increased breathing rates in class. COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets and aerosols when an infected person breathes, talks, etc. This puts instructors and students alike at greater risk for exposure to the virus.
As variants like Omicron continue to evolve, both instructors and students must take every precaution to ensure the safest possible teaching and learning environment for everyone.
To support efforts to safeguard against the spread of COVID-19, Heart & Stroke strongly recommends that all resuscitation instructors and their students be fully vaccinated in order to create the safest possible teaching and learning environment. Full vaccination means the individual has received all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as authorized by Health Canada (including any required boosters, where eligible) and has completed the two-week waiting period following vaccination. Vaccinations, combined with existing public health measures (such as masking and physical distancing), are critical for reducing the transmission of COVID-19.
