COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A -Community Living Toronto

March 2, 2020

  1. Is the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Screening and Consent form fillable?
    Generally, the form can not be filled electronically, however this has been done with varying degrees of success if you have the appropriate version of Adobe.
  1. In instances when we know that it will be difficult to obtain written consent by an SDM can we immediately pursue verbal consent?
    Yes. CLTO staff know the individuals in care and the availability and capacity of SDMs to provide timely responses best. Although written consent is preferred, staff should look to obtain consent in whatever way best accommodates SDMs, which can include written or verbal consent.
  1. Can Substitute Decision Makers provide consent by scanning electronic copies of the forms?
    Although electronic submissions are convenient for families, it is preferred that original signed versions of documents be provided. By only presenting an electronic version of a signed consent there is a risk that it may not be accepted by health authorities.
    If obtaining a scanned version of a signed consent is the only option available based on the SDM’s preference, please ask that efforts be made to scan the documents as clearly as possible. Alternatively, verbal consent can be provided which requires the appropriate addendum to be attached to the consent form.
  1. If I am obtaining verbal consent from a physician for multiple individuals, do I have to fill out the screening questionnaire for each individual?
    Yes. Every individual in support needs their own screening and consent form.
  1. Where are we getting addresses for Substitute Decision Makers?
    We are asking that staff provide the addresses of SDMs as part of the COVID-19 Screening and Vaccine tracker.     Addresses are pulled from the tracker and used to mail packages.
  1. Are we facilitating vaccine distribution to family caregivers and if so, what will that process look like?
    We will communicate with family caregivers to help get them their consents and will assist them with getting vaccinated when our health care sector partners indicate that it is their time to do so.
  1. What should we do for individuals in care where CLTO does not help manage their medical care needs?
    In these cases, please upload a consent form with the individual’s name included and the In-Person Medical Screening Confirmation from a Health Care Provider addendum using the portal. The package will then be mailed to the substitute decision maker.
  1. Why are we answering questions on the form relating to the health or medical conditions of an individual on a specific day? Are these questions going to be answered again?
    Questions regarding an individual’s health and medical conditions on a day in advance of receiving the vaccine are being asked to give an individual a sense of what their health and medical conditions will need to be on the day of vaccination. These questions will be asked again by the health care provider administering the vaccine.
  1. Will regional offices have a drop-off box for SDMs to drop-off consents?
    No. Due to the personal information contained in the consent forms, SDMs should call in advance to make arrangements to hand forms directly to staff if they would like to drop-off their consent forms.
  1. What if a substitute decision maker does not consent for the individual in care to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine?
    If a substitute decision maker chooses to not provide consent for the individual in care to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine, CLTO will begin a review using the COVID-19 Immunization Directive – Individuals Served to determine what provisions will need to be put in place to reduce the health and safety risks of individuals in care and those who support them.
  1. Are residents of group home who are currently residing with family be included in this process?
    Residents who are currently residing with family are being included in Community Living Toronto’s efforts to proactively prepare for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals in care.
    We are continuing to wait for our health care partners to inform us who will be included in the next round of vaccine administration. This is determined by the province’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution plan and our health care provider partners. We will communicate directly with families once direction is provided to us.
  1. How do we obtain consent if an individual in care does not have a Substitute Decision Maker (SDM) or Trustee?
    Pease review the hierarchy of SDMs provided to help identify one. If an SDM can’t be identified, please contact the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee to have a trustee assigned to the individual.
  1. What if an individual in care consents to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, but their family says no to them consenting to receive the COVID19 vaccine? A discussion should be pursued with the individual and their family on who Community Living Toronto should be seeking consent from on all medical and health decisions as they relate to the individual in care.
  1. When will SDMs be sent COVID-19 Vaccine consent forms to sign?
    Once the medical screening portion of the COVID-19 consent form is complete or attempts to have it completed are exhausted, the form should be saved and uploaded using the MS Forms upload function. Once uploaded, these forms will be mailed to SDMs as soon as possible.
  1. Will family members who provide direct support (i.e. LIGHTS, ISP) be included in this process? Family members who provide direct support will be included in Community Living Toronto’s efforts to proactively prepare for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. We are continuing to wait for our health care partners to inform us who will be included in the next round of vaccine administration. This is determined by the province’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution plan and our health care provider partners. We will communicate directly with families once direction is provided to us.
  1. Is the process for direct support staff and individuals in care occurring simultaneously?
    Yes, the process for direct support staff and individuals in care is occurring simultaneously. Frontline direct support staff are currently being vaccinated while Community Living Toronto awaits to hear from our health care provider partners on when and how individuals in care are to begin to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
  1. Can SDMs who directly manage the medical and health needs of an individual in care complete the medical screening by phone/verbally?
    Yes, this can be accommodated for individual who have their medical and health needs managed directly by their SDM.
  1. Do we have an idea when vaccinations may be offered to youth we support that are younger than 18? No, we do not know when vaccinations may be offered to youth we support under 18. This is determined by the province’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution plan and our health care provider partners.
  1. Who will have access to staff information?
    We are ensuring that only a select few people in Community Living Toronto will have access to any staff information that is being provided as part of Community Living Toronto’s COVID-19 vaccination roll-out process. The staff who will have access to this information include individuals from Human Resources and Occupational Health and Safety.
  1. Will supervisor and managers be included in this vaccination process?
    Yes, frontline supervisors and managers will be included in this vaccination process. The goal is to include as many people as we possibly can in order to move toward returning to as normal an environment as possible. Inclusion of supervisors and managers who provide support on the frontline will be key in achieving this.
  1. Will mobile vaccination be made available to individuals in service? We do not know yet. Our health care partners have informed us that we will have access to a combination of vaccine hubs and mobile vaccine clinics. Community Living Toronto will advocate for the most appropriate mode of vaccine distribution based on individual and location needs and requirements.
  1. Will staff on leave receive a package to receive the vaccine? Staff who are on leave due to COVID-19 related reasons or who are anticipated to return to work within the next two months will receive a COVID-19 Vaccine Consent Form Package. We will continue to monitor the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and will adjust this approach accordingly.
  1. Do we know what vaccine will be offered?
    We have been informed the that the Pfizer vaccine is the one that will be made available during this phase of the vaccine distribution. Should this change we will provide an update.
  1. Will family members of staff be part of CLTO’s COVID-19 vaccine roll-out?
    Family members of CLTO staff are not part of our COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.
    Although we would very much like to include family of staff in our roll-out, we are unable to include them based on the province’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution plan and our health care provider partners.
  1. Is CLTO taking steps to ensure that the second dose of the vaccine is secure, that the same vaccine is provided for both doses and that the second dose is provided in the required timeframe?
    Assuring timely access to the right second dose is part of our efforts in securing access through our health care provider partners. Once an individual receives their first dose, they are soon informed when they are scheduled for the second dose. As part of this process, our heath care partners ensure that the same type of vaccine is made available for the second dose and that it is provided in the required timeframe.
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