The Omicron variant is proving highly transmissible as the case count continues to climb in our region and across Ontario, and poses a real threat to our vulnerable patients. With the continued increase in COVID activity, Quinte Health Care (QHC) will move to the most restrictive Phase 3 (Red) of our “Care Partner and Visiting During COVID-19 Policy”, effective Monday, December 20, 2021. With this change from the Yellow Phase to the Red Phase, QHC is further limiting on-site access to care partners and visitors in order to protect our most vulnerable patients, and our staff and physicians. By reducing the flow of people throughout our hospitals we are doing what we can to limit the potential for spread.
Significant changes as QHC moves to Red include:
- Low acuity, short stay patients will no longer be able to have a care partner
- Long stay patients can have one consistent care partner
- Stable ICU patients will no longer be able to have a care partner
A limited number of care partners will continue to be permitted for end-of-life or critically unstable patients, maternity patients and for paediatric patients as outlined on the visiting page of the QHC website.
A care partner is identified by the patient and provided identification by QHC. Care partners MUST pass COVID screening every time they enter the hospital and MUST provide proof of vaccination. Very few exceptions will be made to the proof of vaccination requirement. In the rare case an exception is made, COVID testing is mandatory. Care partners that develop symptoms while at the hospital, must report the symptoms to staff and leave immediately to seek PCR testing at a COVID-19 Community Assessment Centre. All care partners must wear the appropriate PPE and leave it on at all times, and cannot eat or drink in the hospital. Care partners can only be in the hospital from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the exception of care partners of maternity patients and paediatric patients.
QHC values the meaningful support that family and friends have in recovery. However, in these very challenging and high risk times our obligation to protect patients and staff must take priority. QHC will prioritize getting patients connected to loved ones either through the use of their own device or one provided by QHC.
