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Nova Scotia’s nursing homes now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks
PHOTO : www.griswoldhomecare.com
Dozens of staff and residents at least seven long-term care facilities have tested positive for the disease.
APRIL 14, 2020 BY JENNIFER HENDERSON, The Halifax Examiner
Over the Easter weekend, 16 residents and 10 employees at the Northwood long-term-care complex in Halifax tested positive for COVID-19.
The nursing home’s website says all 26 — plus four more staff who provide homecare services — have exhibited mild to moderate symptoms. Medical staff have isolated and are caring for the infected residents on a separate floor of Northwood Manor. Dr Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer of Health for the province, expressed, “concern for the people,” but said “I am confident everything that can be done is being done.”
Northwood Inc., with 485 residents, has emerged as a hotspot for the virus. COVID-19 has also infected residents and staff in at least seven other long-term care facilities, including R.K.MacDonald in Antigonish, the Northside Community Guest Home in North Sydney, Shannex’s Arborstone facility in Halifax and its Lewis Hall and Harris Hall in Dartmouth, Ocean View Manor in Eastern Passage, and Magnolia Manor in Enfield.
Read moreNova Scotia’s nursing homes now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks
Health Protection Act & COVID-19 Management in Long Term Care Facilities Directive Under the Authority of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
The goal of COVID-19 Management in Long-term Care Facilities (LTCF) is to, as much as possible, prevent the introduction of the virus into facility and/or prevent transmission to residents and staff within the facility.
All health care workers must follow the Public Health Order issued by the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), dated March 24, 2020, and any direction arising from that Order and directives given under the authority of the Health Protection Act (HPA).
PARTICIPANTS REQUESTED : Healthcare Video
Attached correspondence from Dept of Health :
From: Smith, Alexandra
Subject: Healthcare Video document-PARTICIPANT REQUEST
Date: April 10, 20
Good morning:
Earlier this week many of you indicated a willingness to ask your members to participate in video messages campaigns from health care workers to thank Nova Scotians for staying home. We appreciate you sharing this request with your members.
Communications Nova Scotia is collecting photos and video messages from individuals and groups in all corners of our health care system. The idea is for them to thank Nova Scotians for continuing to follow public health directions, and to remind everyone to keep it going. We will edit a selection of them into a video for circulating via social media.
We’re asking for short (ie 5-7 second) “Thank you!” videos and photos. We have an attached sign that you can print and use if you wish. Homemade signs reinforcing social distancing, staying home, and hand washing are also welcome.
CONTINUING CARE INFORMATION RELEASE – New Protocol for Masking in Long Term Care
CONTINUING CARE INFORMATION RELEASE
TO: Long Term Care Facilities
CC: Susan Stevens, Senior Director, Nova Scotia Health Authority Paula Langille, Director, Continuing Care, DHW
DATE: April 11, 2020
FROM:
Mary Lee, Health Association of Nova Scotia (HANS)
Vicki Elliott-Lopez, Senior Executive Director, Continuing Care, DHW
New Protocol for Masking in Long Term Care
The Department of Health and Wellness (DHW) is implementing a new protocol around masking of health care workers (HCW) in DHW-licensed long-term care during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Specifically, any staff working in or moving through resident care areas will be asked to wear a procedure mask throughout their entire shift. One (1) procedure mask per shift should be provided by facilities. An additional mask should be available if required due to soiling. Please note that paper bags (such as brown paper lunch bags) should also be available to staff for storage of masks during breaks, etc.
Facilities are expected to continue with standard processes for securing PPE supplies, conserve supplies as appropriate and have a mechanism in place to track your products. When necessary, DHW will supply procedure masks through the urgent request process established through HANS.
Read moreCONTINUING CARE INFORMATION RELEASE – New Protocol for Masking in Long Term Care
Q & A on Right to Refuse and Personal Protective Equipment
Can I use my right to refuse for COVID-19?
Employees have a right to refuse unsafe work when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the work, tool, or equipment is dangerous to you or another person’s health and safety. Many situations could create a dangerous condition in your workplace and COVID-19 is no exception. For most workers, especially those in a health care workplace, the presence of a communicable disease isn’t automatically dangerous, as long as you have the training and appropriate resources, including personal protective equipment (PPE) to do the work safely.
When do I need to use Personal Protective Equipment?
Working with residents or patients who are suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 is hazardous work, and PPE is an important tool that allows your work to be performed safely. COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets so the PPE for those providing care would include a mask to cover your mouth, goggles or a face shield to cover your eyes, a gown to cover your clothing, and gloves to protect your hands. Lacking any of these resources would make the work more hazardous and could lead to a dangerous situation.
Read moreQ & A on Right to Refuse and Personal Protective Equipment
IMPORTANT NOTICE for affiliated locals of CUPE NS & Long Term Care Coordinating Committee
CUPE Nova Scotia and the Long Term Care Coordinating Committee want to do our part in supporting social distancing.
As a result, we have decided to post pone our Convention & Conference this coming May.
Stay tuned for dates in the fall!
Our heartfelt thanks to CUPE members showing up to work everyday on the frontline, working to keep us safe during this global pandemic.
Additionally, in order to create space for a fall convention, it has been decided to cancel the All-Committees Conference scheduled for this coming October.
In Socially Distant Solidarity,
CUPE Nova Scotia Executive & the Long Term Care Coordinating Committee
COVID-19 and Income Supports for Workers Q and A
What is your situation?
I am an employee with COVID-19 and/or in isolation:
- Your employer may have a short-term disability or sick leave program that you need to apply for before applying for EI Sickness Benefits. Check your collective agreement or contact your CUPE local.
- If you have worked more than 600 hours in the past year or since your last EI claim, you qualify for EI sickness benefits. For more information on EI Sickness Benefits, check out the section on EI below.
- If you have not worked more than 600 hours in the past year or since your last EI claim, the federal government is providing an Emergency Care Benefit, which will provide benefits comparable to EI for up to 15 weeks. More details will be forthcoming from the Federal government.
- Your job will be protected during this leave of absence by federal and provincial legislation.
COVID-19 : FYI for CUPE members
The Precautionary Principal
Knowledge about how the virus is transmitted has yet to be fully understood. For this reason, CUPE is recommending that health care settings adopt the precautionary principle towards infection prevention and control of COVID-19.
The precautionary principle means taking action to prevent infection from potentially serious viruses without having to wait for complete scientific proof that a course of action is necessary. While there is continued uncertainty that the virus is not spread through the air, we must conduct ourselves as if it were.