Over the weekend, Providence Care received confirmation two health care workers at our Providence Care Hospital site, tested positive for COVID-19. The health care workers who tested positive have not entered the hospital since developing symptoms.
“The safety of our staff and the people we serve is our number one priority. We are working closely with Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health, staff members and our Infection Prevention and Control team to ensure all appropriate and best practice infection prevention and control measures have been taken to limit the spread among staff and patients” said Cathy Szabo, Providence Care President & CEO.
All staff and patients that were identified as having met the criteria for close contact with the confirmed cases, have been contacted and placed on quarantine to monitor for signs and symptoms over the next 14 days. No other staff or patient transmission has been identified.
“Both staff members identified their symptoms early and did not report to work while ill. They followed our protocols by self-monitoring and rapidly identifying themselves to Occupational Health for testing. We have all the necessary precautions in place and I feel confident in our ability to respond appropriately to limit the spread of infection,” said Dr. Gerald Evans, Providence Care’s Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control.
In addition to robust infection prevention measures already in place for COVID-19 across Providence Care sites, Providence Care Hospital has implemented the following measures in response to the two positive cases:
• Infection Prevention and Control, as well as Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness have completed contact tracing for individuals who have had close contact with the confirmed cases.
• Any staff and patients that came in close contact with the confirmed cases have been contacted and placed on quarantine to monitor for signs and symptoms over the next 14 days.
• Additional housekeeping measures have been implemented.
• We are strictly enforcing physical separation in areas such as charting and other spaces where staff break.
“Our teams are working around the clock to assure Providence Care is taking all proper precautions and steps to keep all staff, physicians, patients, clients, and residents at every one of our sites safe. This includes: the use of appropriate personal protective equipment, visitor restrictions, active screening of patients, clients, residents, and staff, increased cleaning and sanitation of our clinical areas, public spaces and equipment,” says Szabo.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and work together with our staff and community partners to take swift actions to limit the spread of the virus,” adds Evans.
SUBMITTED BY PROVIDENCE CARE
