Following the two positive staff cases confirmed last week by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), the Pines remains in outbreak status and all resident visits remain suspended. Enhanced protocols for the cleaning of high-touch surfaces and resident living areas also continue. We want to again thank all of our staff, residents and families for their dedication, support and patience during these challenging times.
Based on the recommendation from Public Health, all residents in the home have been re-tested. Scheduled bi-weekly testing of all staff will continues next week to support early detection of any spread of the COVID-19 virus in the home
Status of Testing:
- 149 resident tests were completed and 145 results have come back. We are pleased to share that all of these results have been negative for COVID-19.
- Test results for four residents remain outstanding.
- Testing of all staff will take place next week as scheduled
The District remains focused on protecting residents and staff at the Pines Long-Term Care Home from COVID-19 and extensive measures are being taken to ensure the health, safety of wellbeing of residents and staff remain in place.
Timeline of events:
The Pines experienced an initial outbreak of COVID-19 after one employee tested positive for COVID-19 on August 30, 2020. Following that initial positive case:
- One resident tested positive for COVID-19 on September 2, 2020.
- This first outbreak involving one staff member and one resident was deemed resolved by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit on September 16, 2020.
- An additional staff member tested positive on September 19, 2020. This result came from bi-weekly testing of all staff members to support early detection of any spread of the COVID-19 virus in the home. That case is believed to come from community transmission and not from the initial outbreak.
- On September 25, 2020 an additional staff member tested positive.
How can the community help? Take extra care:
According to SMDHU, community spread of the COVID-19 has sharply risen to numbers not seen since the spring and they are asking the public to shrink their social circles as much as possible to those within their own household and to be cautious to reduce their exposure within the community.
SMDHU has provided the following steps to keep everyone safe, including those returning to school and those living in long-term care homes:
- Shrink your close contacts (the people you can get close to such as hugging and touching) as much as possible to only those people within your own household and those whose well-being requires or is dependent on it.
- Think carefully about how often and where you go out to in the public, and try to limit to what is essential and avoid crowded spaces.
- Limit social gatherings, and keep the number of people in your gatherings and get-togethers to 10 people or less indoors, or 25 or less outdoors; with people outside of your household, practice physical distancing, or wear a mask if you can’t.
- Parents should screen children for symptoms of COVID-19 every day before they leave for school; if a child has even one symptom, they should stay home and self-isolate, and get tested.