Acuitas: (noun) insight, perception, sharpness.

COVID-19 Safety Plan Summary

While Acuitas Therapeutics continues to work with our partners on COVID-19 vaccines, the wellbeing of our staff, colleagues, families and communities continues to be our top priority.

To minimize the spread of COVID-19, we have implemented the actions below. We will continue to update and evolve these as more information becomes available about the virus and as information from public health authorities is provided.

Visitors

  • Visitors (couriers, suppliers, etc.) to the office/laboratory must call a staff member to allow access into the building and onto the Acuitas floor.
  • Visitors must wear a mask at all times while on Acuitas premises.
  • Visitors must fill out and sign a COVID-19 form when entering the premises.

Masks

  • Masks are provided for all staff and visitors.
  • Staff must wear masks at all times in the laboratory areas.
  • Staff must wear masks while moving around the office and washroom areas.
  • Visitors must wear a mask at all times while on Acuitas premises.

Hand Hygiene

  • Staff are encouraged to wash their hands often.
  • Handwashing stations (sinks) are available throughout the facilities.
  • Hand sanitizing stations are visible and easily accessible throughout the facilities.
  • Signage is posted detailing effective hand hygiene practices.

Limiting Exposure to Others

  • Staff are encouraged to work offsite or remotely, when possible.
  • Staff are encouraged to stagger working hours to limit the number of people on the premises.
  • Staff should not crowd together or congregate in common areas including elevators, lobbies, hallways, stairwells, corridors, bathrooms, boardroom and breakroom/kitchen.
  • Meetings should be conducted via Zoom or Teams, whenever possible.
  • Staff, workers and visitors should remain at least two metres apart, wherever possible.
  • Desks are configured to be at least two metres apart, with a plexiglass barrier in between. Where this is not possible, barriers have been put in place.
  • Business travel is currently restricted.

Sharing Information

  • Posters and information are available outside the office and laboratory areas to inform staff and visitors of changes, precautions and occupancy limits.

Cleaning

  • High-touch surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, elevator buttons, light switches) have been identified and are cleaned regularly.
  • The cleaning frequency of shared office and laboratory items has been increased.
  • Barrier cleaning is included in our cleaning protocols
  • If a staff member becomes ill while at work, any surfaces that worker may have touched are cleaned and disinfected.
  • Unnecessary tools and equipment have been removed to simplify the cleaning process (e.g., coffee makers, shared utensils, plates).

Workplace Safety

  • Staff members’ physical and emotional well-being are monitored.
  • Please adhere to the occupancy limits identified in specific areas (e.g. lunchroom, laboratory areas, office, etc.).

Health Precautions

  • Staff must perform and pass a daily health check to be able to enter Acuitas premises.
  • A plan is in place should a staff member feel ill; please report all illnesses to a manager.
  • Any staff member who has had symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 10 days must selfisolate at home.
  • Any staff member directed by a health authority to self-isolate must do so at home.
  • Any staff member who has been identified by a health authority as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 must self-isolate at home.
  • Any staff member who has arrived from outside of Canada must self-isolate at home for 14 days and monitor for symptoms.

Acuitas Therapeutics urges everyone to continue to follow the direction of the health authorities, physically distance yourself from others not in your household, wear a mask, and wash your hands often.