News Release
Date: December 2, 2022
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As part of Providence Care’s re-opening plan, changes to our COVID-19 practices will be implemented on December 5, 2022. We continue to evolve our pandemic response in a manner that balances ease of access and patient, client, resident, family and staff safety.
On December 5th, the following changes will come into effect:
Self-Screening: All patients, clients and visitors to Providence Care Hospital (PCH), Providence Transitional Care Centre (PTCC) and Community sites will be expected to self-screen for symptoms of infectious illness (e.g. fever, cough, chills, sore throat) consistent with signage posted at main entrances. Active screening – where those entering are asked questions about their health or possible exposure to COVID-19 – will be discontinued. Active Access Control Screeners will remain at Providence Manor as per a Ministry of Long-Term Care directive.
All patients, clients and visitors entering must sanitize their hands and put on a hospital-issued mask. Masks must be worn at all times.
Outpatients who have any symptoms of infectious illness will be asked to report them to the registration staff prior to arriving at their clinic.
Visitors who have symptoms of infectious illness will not be permitted entry.
COVID-19 Communications: Providence Care is changing the way we report COVID-19 data to the public. Members of the public and media who are looking to find up-to-date information related to COVID-19 outbreaks and numbers of positive patients, clients, residents and staff should visit Providencecare.ca/covid-19.
Providence Care will be carefully monitoring the impact of the above changes as they are implemented. We continue to review safety measures on an ongoing basis to ensure our staff and the people we serve stay protected.
The following protective measures will remain in place at Providence Care sites:
- Reduced visiting: With guidance from our infection prevention and control team, we will determine when and how to safely bring more people into our sites. With long-term care, hospital and transitional care, and community services falling in different sectors, certain protective measures like reduced visiting may differ at each site.
- Masking, hand hygiene and physical distancing: Anyone entering Providence Care sites must continue to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks and any additional PPE as directed by staff, at all times. Individuals must also continue to practice physical distancing and vigilant hand hygiene.
Quick Facts
- Effective Dec. 5, 2022, Providence Care is implementing self-screening for patients, clients and visitors at Providence Care Hospital, Providence Transitional Care Centre and Community sites.
- COVID-19 outbreak information including numbers of positive patients, clients, residents and staff must be accessed by members of the public at ca/covid-19.
- COVID-19 protective measures, including reducing visitors, vigilant hand hygiene, physical distancing and masking remain in place at all Providence Care sites.
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About Providence Care:
Providence Care is Southeastern Ontario’s leading provider of specialized care in aging, mental health and rehabilitation. The organization consists of Providence Care Hospital, Providence Transitional Care Centre, Providence Manor long-term care home, Hospice Kingston, and more than 20 community based mental health and support services across the region. To find out more about Providence Care, visit ProvidenceCare.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information, contact:
Lindsay Kennedy
Communications Officer, Communications
Phone: 613-544-4900 ext. 53375
Email: kennedyl5@providencecare.ca
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