Update on COVID-19 Screening and Continued COVID-19 Protocols
Western Health advises the public of updates to the COVID-19 screening process at points of entry to health care facilities and hospitals across the region, in line with provincial guidelines. Effective today, visitors/support persons are directed to self-screen for COVID-19 and verbal screening by a staff member at facility entrances will be discontinued. Patients, residents and clients will continue to be screened at registration and should proceed directly to registration upon arrival at the health care facility.
In addition, Western Health advises the public that COVID-19 protocols and guidelines, including mandatory masking and visitation guidelines, remain in place at hospitals, long term care facilities and health care facilities throughout the region. These are necessary precautions designed to help keep patients, clients, residents, visitors, staff and physicians safe and support quality care for patients, clients and residents.
COVID-19 screening for visitors/support persons:
· Visitors/support persons are directed to follow signage at health care facilities and must meet the screening requirements before proceeding inside of the health care facility. In addition, visitors/support persons can complete self-screening prior to arrival at the facility here.
· Visitation is not permitted if the support person/visitor is symptomatic (i.e. experiencing any one or more symptoms of COVID-19) or self-isolating (except in specific situations such as labour and delivery and end-of-life visitation and only in consultation with the patient/resident’s clinical care team).
Masking is required at all Western Health facilities:
· Clients, patients and visitors/support persons must wear a well-fitted medical mask for the duration of their time in hospitals and other health care facilities, including while visiting patient/resident rooms.
· Individuals can wear their own medical mask or a mask provided at the health care facility. Cloth masks and masks with exhalation valves are not permitted.
· Individuals who require a new medical mask are asked to take a mask at the point of entry.
Visitation guidelines and additional protocols:
· Visitation: Visitors/support persons are permitted with no more than two visiting at the same time for inpatients in a hospital setting and residents of long term care homes, and personal care homes.
· Please note that some areas/units may not be able to accommodate two visitors at the same time due to available space and physical distancing requirements. In these cases, care teams will work with families to identify visitation options. In addition, visitation may be limited in areas of COVID-19 outbreak depending on the site circumstances and severity of the outbreak.
· Perform hand hygiene: Clean your hands with hand sanitizer or wash your hands with soap and water.
· Physical distancing is recommended: Whenever possible, please maintain physical distancing from others while in all Western Health facilities. Please also follow any signage for physical distancing in common areas.
COVID-19 protocols and guidelines continue to be critically important in health care facilities. Western Health thanks the public for their continued support and reminds them of the importance of continuing to follow these protocols to help protect themselves and those who receive care, visit, and work in health care facilities.