New measures have been introduced at Nova Scotia’s long-term care homes to protect residents and staff from the spread of COVID-19.
At a news conference Monday, Dr. Robert Strang said the directives are based on what is already done every year during respiratory outbreaks like influenza.
“But we’re going one step further and making these a directive, that is requiring long-term care facilities to take these steps,” Strang said.
Effective immediately, all residents and staff will be screened at least once a day, and twice a day if it’s operationally feasible.
“That includes the monitoring of temperatures,” he explained. “Staff who come into work, at the start of their shift they’ll get a quick screen of their health, as well, their temperature will be taken.”
All respiratory illnesses will need to be reported to Public Health. Strang said for influenza, health officials are generally not contacted unless there are two or more cases.
“Any new admissions to a facility will require a health screening to ensure somebody hasn’t been potentially exposed to COVID-19, and if they have, appropriate steps will be taken to isolate them,” he added.
The measures also include requirements for enhanced cleaning, physical distancing and steps that need to be taken if there’s a diagnosed case.
Strang said many facilities have already been implementing these steps, however they are no longer guidelines, they are now requirements.
He added so far, there have been few COVID-19 cases in the province’s long-term care homes.
That includes The Magnolia in Enfield, where two residents and three staff members have tested positive, and Northwood’s Halifax Campus, where one staff member has tested positive. In a statement posted to its website Monday, Northwood also said two staff members in the Home Care program have confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“This is the next step we’re doing to have things as safe as possible for some of the most vulnerable in our communities, which are the residents in the long-term care facilities,” Strang said.
“It’s also going to help protect the health care workers who are still willing to go into work every day to provide the necessary care for those residents.”
Nearly 11,000 people work in Nova Scotia’s long-term care sector.
