Grower Sector Group Update – October 4, 2021

The OMAFRA team is working closely with the Ontario Ministy of Health and Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to get you the answers you need to navigate both policy and practical questions related to pandemic issues at your farms. Previous meeting minutes are available upon request.

Please note, if you have any questions or requests, send them along to Jeanine West at jwest@landscapeontario.com or 705-796-8812 to bring forward at the next meeting.

OMAFRA Sector Leadership Group Minutes 2021-10-04
— COVID taskforce

Rapid Antigen Testing options for farm employees
This link includes all updated resources related to the additional rapid antigen tests companies may receive: COVID-19 Health System Response Materials | Ontario Health. Go to the “Testing” section, there are links there for info on rapid antigen testing, including Panbio^TM and BD Veritor^TM.

Contact in OMAFRA is Fiona Foster.

Q1 – What is the effectiveness of the test if the person has had COVID?
Q2 – Is an antibody titre test available yet?

For PCR Pre-Flight Home testing for TFW (mobile option for >50ppl)
To provide everyone with more background, each mobile team typically consists of 3-4 individuals (1 RN and 2-3 admin supports) and they often bring their own laptops to help register patients (requiring access to electricity for longer deployments), etc. Ideally, the space would have room for patients to socially distance while awaiting their test (indoor for winter months).

The following are some examples of the spaces the vendors have set up in the past:

• Deployment to women’s shelters, where room-to-room testing was required (but only the RN was permitted past the reception area).
• Deployment to a small space (the vendor adjusted by reducing the number of administrative support staff that were present).
• Deployment to a manufacturer with a very prescriptive timing schedule and testing taking place in the lunchroom.
• Ideally, the vendors would appreciate having a space where they can comfortably set up a table, plug in their laptops, and navigate safely (whether indoors or outdoors), but they’ve been very adaptable and flexible when we’ve needed them to be. The best course of action would be for the space to be proposed (noting the size and/or any limitations), and then we can work with Ontario Health to assess which of the vendors could support in those conditions.
• You may wish to review this website: United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and International Air Transport Association (https://www.iata.org/en/programs/covid-19-resources-guidelines/destination-tracker/) for more information about entry requirements for individual countries. IATA – Destination Tracker.

Note: Mexico does not require pre-flight negative test proof.
Contact in OMAFRA is Jeff Wang.

3rd Dose Options
Contact in OMAFRA is Carrie Warring, she will work on response.

Q1 – 3rd dose of a vaccine, but 2nd dose of mRNA type — are there options available this fall?
Q2 – Is there a possibility of booster doses for TFW living in congregate housing?