Campbellton Regional Hospital will soon reopen its emergency department, which it shut down for a week in another closure related to the COVID-19 outbreak in the region.
In a news release Monday, the Vitalité Health Network said the emergency department will reopen at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
Elective surgeries and non-urgent outpatient care and services will resume June 29.
If the Campbellton region moves into the next phase of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan, patient visits might also be permitted by next Monday.
“Temporary service closures and interruptions are necessary to ensure the safety of Campbellton Regional Hospital personnel and patients due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the facility,” the news release said. “The Network is making every effort to be able to restore a more normal operation at the Campbellton Regional Hospital.”
There are currently 25 active cases of COVID-19 in the Campbellton region, some involving health-care workers.
In a status report, Vitalité said mass testing of employees has been underway since June 13.
“Strict infection prevention and control measures” have also been in place.
The report repeated Vitalité’s earlier assertion that staff have enough personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, for their work while COVID patients are in the hospital.
This comes after three front-line care-givers who have worked on the COVID-19 unit told CBC News last week that they didn’t feel save under current PPE protocols, especially one that only allows the use of N95 masks for procedures that produce airborne droplets.
Masks, but not N95 masks, are to be worn at all times at the hospital.
Flights resume at Saint John Airport
Saint John Airport officials are worried passengers from outside New Brunswick will be turned away by border patrols as Air Canada resumes flights from Montreal to the Port City.
One daily flight arrived at the Saint John Airport shortly before 3:30 p.m. and was to depart at 4:30 p.m. Border patrol officers with the province are questioning travellers arriving at the airport.
“Obviously, you have to have a legitimate reason … on why you’re coming into New Brunswick, and if those are met, than you should be OK to come in,” said Jacques Fournier, director of commercial development at the Saint John Airport.
“If they’re not, there’s always a chance they could get turned away.”
He said the plane is a 78-seat aircraft, which has been upgraded from the 50-seat commercial aircraft originally planned.
An Air Canada flight from Montreal has arrived at the Saint John Airport on Monday afternoon. (Roger Cosman/CBC)
“Obviously, the demand is a little more than we thought.”
But Fournier said some seats won’t be used, so passengers can keep their distance from each other on the plane.
“I would have to say the aircraft will be pretty busy today.”
Flights at all three of New Brunswick’s largest airports have been reduced since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, and service in Saint John was suspended altogether.
Saint John Airport staff have also taken steps to make sure passengers can physically distance themselves from one another, including when they’re lining up to get on a plane.
People permitted to come into the province are still required to self-isolate for two weeks, with the exception of New Brunswick residents working who have been working outside the province.
Geoffrey Downey, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety, said there are two peace officers and two screeners at each airport during hours of operation.
“Some people still need to travel and want to travel,” said Fournier. “I believe we will still see people with cottages here in New Brunswick coming in.”
Additional flights to Toronto and Montreal from Saint John will start on July 1.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen commercial traffic coming back into the Saint John Airport,” Fournier said. “So it is very exciting.”
More flights added to Moncton offerings
Toronto and Montreal flights that were previously suspended to and from the Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport, also resumed Monday. They include one daily flight to Toronto and Montreal until June 30.
In July, flights to each city will operate twice a day, but exceptions could apply, said Julie Pondant, a spokesperson for the airport.
Halifax and Ottawa flights are suspended until Sept. 7.
WestJet currently operates three days a week to Toronto from the Moncton airport.
Swoop Airlines has postponed service to the Moncton airport.
The Fredericton International Airport has two daily Air Canada flights to Montreal and three WestJet flights per week to Toronto.
“The airport has been open continuously, with both Air Canada and WestJet continuing to serve YFC, although on a reduced schedule,” said Kate O’Rourke, a spokesperson for the Fredericton International Airport.
Porter and Sunwing have both suspended operations until the end of July at New Brunswick airports.
No new cases of COVID-19 Monday
Public Health announced no new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
There are currently 27 active cases of the respiratory virus in the province, according to the province.
Out of the 164 cases of COVID-19 in the province, 135 people have recovered.
There have been two deaths at the Manoir de la Vallée this month, a long–term care home in Zone 5, the Campbellton region.
Two patients are currently hospitalized and one is in an intensive care unit at the Campbellton Regional Hospital.
As of today, 40,663 tests have been conducted.
Horizon Health patients allowed to have visitors
Patients at Horizon Health Network can welcome one healthy visitor at a time, the health network said in a news release Monday.
Visitors can see patients between 2 and 8 p.m. each day for a maximum of one hour. Visitors must be 12 or older and cannot bring pets into the hospital.
Under the new guidelines, all visitors to Horizon centres must:
Be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 upon entry.
Always wear a community mask during their visit.
Maintain physical distancing and clean their hands frequently during visits.
Limit their interactions with staff, and other patients and visitors.
Leave the patient’s room when staff are conducting procedures.
At any time, staff can restrict the number of visitors in an area or the length of visits to ensure guidelines are adhered to.
Critical care, intensive care and neonatal intensive care patients can have one visitor at a time. Visitors are limited to close family members only. The length of these visits is determined by staff on the unit and how busy things are.
Palliative care patients can have two visitors at a time and visiting hours can be adjusted. Palliative care patients receiving end-of-life care may also have one additional visitor for pastoral or spiritual care, to provide comfort to the patient, family and loved ones.
Patients visiting emergency departments and ambulatory care who require assistance may have one support person only. No other visitors permitted. Pediatric patients may have one support person, who must be a parent or caregiver.
“Visitors who expect their loved ones to be discharged from hospital in the near future — within one week — are asked to consider waiting for their loved one to be discharged to visit,” the news release said.
Fredericton’s Beaverbrook Art Gallery to stay closed
The Beaverbrook Art Gallery is staying closed because of COVID-19, but it won’t be quiet for long.
The gallery in Fredericton is set to start renovations and the building of a new pavilion soon, with the aim of reopening sometime late next year.
The work wasn’t meant to close the gallery down, but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed that plan.
Although art galleries and museums are allowed to open under the province’s recovery plan, Tom Smart, the gallery’s director, said the accessible entrance could not work with physical distancing.
There were concerns about the safety of visitors and staff, he said.
“You might think that with the big galleries that there would be room but there isn’t,” said Smart.
“So we are taking the opportunity of this COVID to accelerate a construction schedule to build a fully accessible pavilion entrance in our front door.”
The $6 million upgrade will see the gallery move closer to the road, more exhibition space and an upgraded entrance.
Saint John Airport staff have taken steps to make sure passengers can physically distance themselves from one another. (Roger Cosman/CBC)
But Smart said now that visitors aren’t an issue, the gallery will look to do even more renovations, including doing work on the roof and back wall.
“We want to take the opportunity to really refresh the facility, make it safe, make it sound so that the collection doesn’t have water pouring in on it,” said Smart.
“We hope that when this is all over there’ll be a vastly improved new gallery that will really help with developing and stimulating and growing the city and province.”
While the summer closure will certainly affect tourists and local art lovers, Smart said, the gallery plans to still offer some programming online, which it has done throughout the pandemic, and outdoors at the gallery site.
“The sculpture park is going to be opening in a few weeks and that will also really create a cultural area down in that part of the city for people to enjoy,” said Smart.
Campbellton region could enter yellow phase by Friday
The Campbellton region, the site of an outbreak provincial officials have linked to a medical professional who travelled to Quebec and didn’t self-isolate, remains at the stricter orange level.
Premier Blaine Higgs announced New Brunswick’s next steps in the COVID-19 recovery plan. 3:20
Only two-household bubbles are permitted under the orange level.
In addition, non-regulated health professionals and businesses, such as acupuncturists and naturopaths, and personal services businesses, such as hair stylists and spas, can’t operate.
A rendering of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery’s exterior after its expansion. (Beaverbrook Art Gallery)
As long as there isn’t an increase in COVID-19 cases, Premier Blaine Higgs said the Campbellton region will be allowed to move into the yellow phase by Friday.
For the rest of New Brunswick, all remaining businesses can open with appropriate distancing and sanitizing, and operational plans respecting Public Health guidelines. This includes casinos and amusement parks.
What to do if you have a symptom
People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptom can take a self-assessment test on the government website at gnb.ca.
Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting
Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.
In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.
“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.
There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.
Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.
Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.
In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.
Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.
New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.
The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.
Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.
Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.
“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”
McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.
But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.
The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.
He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.
“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.
“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.
McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”
McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.
He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.
“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
