77% of Dudek & Bock employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The company has paid almost $12,000 in bonuses to vaccinated employees, in addition to paying 2 hours of time off to get the first shot.
For employees who have not been vaccinated, you have until the end of June to have your first vaccination and be eligible for the $100 bonus.
On June 4, we bid farewell to two valued Dudek & Bock employees. Karen Pacana, Sales Account Manager, has worked for the company since 1996. Luis Diaz, Class A Tool & Die Maker, joined the company in 1978. We wish both of them the best in retirement and their future endeavors. Please stop by and bid them farewell.
This excerpt is from a news story in the New York Times. Over two dozen Dudek & Bock employees were infected with COVID-19. An infection PLUS vaccination might offer life-long immunity, according to this report:
Scientists have feared that immunity to the coronavirus, whether through infection or vaccination, may be short-lived. But a pair of novel studies suggest that immunity lasts for at least a year — and maybe even decades for some people.
“For people who have had Covid and have been vaccinated, this is excellent news because it means that they will probably never need a booster again — it seems like they’re pretty much set for life,” said my colleague Apoorva Mandavilli, who covers science for The Times. “For people who haven’t had Covid but are vaccinated, those people will probably need boosters, and within a year or so.”
Both of the studies looked at a type of immune cell that can remember the virus and lives in the bone marrow until it is needed to produce antibodies.
“Getting bone marrow is an involved procedure, it’s not just like drawing blood,” Apoorva said. “So the fact that they were able to get bone marrow from people, and not just once but multiple times, is a big deal.”
The scientists discovered that as these immune cells continued to evolve, the antibodies they produced became better at fighting infection.
“Even after the active infection was over, these cells kept learning because the immune system retained a piece of the virus,” Apoorva said. “Over time, the immune cells continued to improve how well they could target the virus. They became broader in their repertoire, so they could work against a much broader range of variants.”
Vaccines may not offer the same results, because immune memory is likely organized differently after immunization, than with an infection. And even those who have recovered from an infection still need doses.
“Some subset of people don’t necessarily produce a very strong immune response when they’ve been exposed to the virus,” Apoorva said. “So, really, everybody should get vaccinated, whether they’ve been infected or not.”
Mary Ann Snee, a Dudek & Bock employee since 1986, passed away on Sunday, May 16. Mary held several positions within the company, most recently as our Purchasing Agent. Mary is survived by her daughter, Erica, and grandson, Shaun, as well as one brother and two aunts.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 19, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home, 7861 S. 88th Avenue in Justice.
On Thursday, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people can resume normal activities without wearing masks indoors, with a few exceptions (mass transit, flights, other circumstances specified by state or local governments).
Fully vaccinated means having the final dose of the vaccine, plus two weeks for it to take full effect. 93 Dudek & Bock employees fall into this category. Those employees can stop wearing masks.
For those who are waiting for a second dose, or for the two weeks following the last dose, hang in there a bit longer!
Employees who have not been vaccinated must continue to wear masks at all times. This policy will be enforced.
To find a vaccine go to www.ilvaccine.org.
