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COVID UPDATE – September 24, 2021 – Terrace West Outbreak

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (1 residents TW | 0 staff)

There are no new cases of COVID to report today in Terrace West. All of the residents who were put on isolation by Public Health due to contact tracing have been swabbed and all tests have returned negative. These residents remain on isolation and await further instruction from the Medical Health Officer as they have been directly exposed to a COVID positive individual.

Here is the memo that will be delivered to Terrace West residents today. It will answer many of the questions that you may have about how you can support your loved one living in Terrace West.

MEMO
Date:             September 24, 2021
To:                  Terrace West (IL) Residents re: Terrace West on Outbreak
______________________________________________________________

We are sorry to inform you that a resident of Terrace West was diagnosed with COVID-19. The Terrace West apartment building has been declared on Outbreak. This means that there are specific enhanced infection control protocols that need to be followed to ensure that COVID does not spread further.

What does it mean for those on isolation? All residents who were in contact with the COVID positive resident have already been placed on isolation have all tested negative for COVID. They must continue to isolate and wait for direction from the Medical Health Officer. They have a cart outside their apartment door and anyone entering must wear full personal protective equipment.

What about those who are not on isolation? If you are not on isolation, you are asked to follow all enhanced infection control protocols wearing a mask when you are with anyone else, practicing hand hygiene, staying in your suite as much as possible and staying 6 feet apart from others. Don’t visit in each other’s apartment suites. This also means answering a Fraser Health nurse who will ask you twice a day if you have any COVID symptoms. Your noon meal will be delivered to your apartment suite.

What about visitors? Only essential visitors may enter this apartment building or your suite. The Medical Health Officer has to approve anyone to be an essential visitor. The process for application and approval is to phone Cheryl Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment to explain your situation – 604.851.4020. Anyone who doesn’t live with you is considered a visitor including housekeepers, family, friend. Loved ones can enter the foyer to drop-off essential items such as groceries to you.

Home Support Services: If you receive home support services to assist you with activities of daily living (getting ready in the morning or night, showering, medicine) from Fraser Health, carry on as usual. If another organization provides you services, please notify Reception (604.851.4004) to ensure they are permitted entry as an essential service.

Can residents who are not isolated go out? Yes. You may leave the apartment building. This includes walks or going out with a loved one. It also includes medical appointments. This is a time to be cautious about going where there are large groups (stores, restaurants or church). This virus is very contagious and the elderly are still the most vulnerable to it. Use all your layers of protection: mask, hand washing, 6 feet distance.

September 23, 2021

Dear Staff of Menno Terrace West – IL,

We are writing to notify you that an individual at Menno Terrace West – IL was diagnosed with COVID-19. The COVID-19 Prevention team in Fraser Health is working with the facility to identify anyone who may have been exposed and to take steps to protect the health of all residents and staff.

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. It can spread through droplets when a person coughs or sneezes, or by touching the virus with your hands then touching your face before washing your hands. Symptoms of COVID-19 may be mild or severe. These may include low grade fever, cough, sneezing, and/or sore throat. More severe symptoms could include fever, difficulty breathing and/or chest pain. Most people will experience mild illness.

This exposure does not mean you are infected with COVID-19. Given the serious health risks of COVID-19 we have instituted outbreak control measures at the facility. We are asking all staff members at Menno Terrace West – IL self- monitor for symptoms until the outbreak is declared over. If you develop any symptoms, inform your supervisor, stop working, get tested and self-isolate until results are returned as negative and symptoms have resolved (whichever is longer).

Public Health will do a risk assessment, and based on the situation, may recommend that you get tested for COVID-19. Please await direction from Public Health before going for testing if you do not have symptoms. We are taking steps to ensure that it is safe for you to continue to work at Menno Terrace West – IL. Fraser Health will be providing infection control support to the facility throughout this time. Residents are being closely monitored for symptoms and standard infection control measures are effective in protecting staff and residents from infection.
It is critical that you do not work in any other health care settings. The elderly are most at risk of severe outcomes related to COVID-19 and these steps are necessary to protect the health of residents living in other facilities.

Your health, and the health of your families is important. If you have concerns about the safety of your working environment please raise them with your manager, your union representative, or WorkSafeBC.

For general information about COVID-19, call 811, or visit HealthLinkBC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus-covid-19.

Sincerely,
Katherine Chan
Public Health Nurse
Fraser Health Public Health
778.368.0123

COVID UPDATE – September 22, 2021 – Terrace East Outbreak / Terrace West Exposure

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 – TERRACE WEST 

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 9 (8 residents TE / 1 resident TW | 0 staff)

PASSED AWAY TODAY: 1 (T=1 resident TE)

We are sorry to report that one resident from Terrace East(TE) has succumbed to COVID-19. Our condolences are with the family who will miss their loved one. In addition, we are sad to report that there is 1 positive COVID resident in Terrace West (TW). We have connected with the Public Health Officer who has ordered that the meals be delivered to residents in Terrace West. Several residents who were identified in contact tracing were tested for COVID. Families have been informed.

Yesterday, all residents and staff  in Terrace East were swabbed in our 2nd point prevalence testing. CLICK HERE to learn more about what Point Prevalence Testing is and why it is used in a health care facility. There are no positive COVID results from the ones that have being reported to us. Not all results are in.

There are several residents who are still in hospital as the disease has progressed. Please pray for these residents that they would feel the presence of God as they are living with the impact of COVID.

We will have more information about visits to Terrace West tomorrow after we speak with Public Health.

If you are supporting a loved one in Terrace West or one of our other apartment buildings, please raise the level of protection for your loved one by using all layers of protection –  hand hygiene, fewer visitors, mask wearing at all times, vaccination. Please ask your own loved ones about any mild symptoms they may be experiencing – CLICK HERE FOR SYMPTOM LIST.

UPDATE – Continue your work schedule UNLESS the COVID test is positive or you develop symptoms

If you worked in Terrace East (in any department) between Sept. 8 – 20th, Public Health is ordering another COVID swab (PCR) to be completed on September 21, 2021. This is a point-prevalence test that determines if or how widely COVID is moving among the staff and residents. If you do not follow this order and get swabbed on September 21st, you prevent Public Health from making decisions about next steps, including increasing or removing protocols such as isolation.

There will be 2 Fraser Health nurses at Terrace East to swab those who are at work on September 21st.

If you worked in Terrace East for the original dates (Sept. 8-12) and then have not been working in Terrace East, please go to the community COVID swabbing site rather than re-entering Terrace East for the Fraser Health nursing to swab you for COVID.

All others must arrange to get a COVID swab done on Sept. 21st:

• Call 604.587.3936 – 32470 Haida Drive, Abbotsford, BC
• advise Menno Place (supervisor AND staffing) of the result of the PCR test;

If the PCR test result is positive:

• 10 days have passed from the time of the positive rapid test, or
• the staff member’s return has been approved by the medical health officer

What is a PCR test?
A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test for COVID-19 is a test used to diagnosis people who are currently infected with SARS-CoV-2, which is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The test is a nose swab and is the most accurate and reliable test for diagnosing COVID-19. The PHO requires this test to be administered by a publicly funded program or a publicly paid health care provider.

Doesn’t my rapid test count?
No. A rapid test is a tool that is used as an additional layer of protection to prevent COVID from entering a Menno Place building/unit. It is not 100% accurate, although it is very effective.

Public Health does not keep track of rapid tests, but requires the full COVID PCR test for any of the orders for COVID testing. You can either have a PCR test as a swab OR as a gargle test.

What is PPT (point prevalence testing) and why are they doing it?

A point prevalence is a type of testing that provides information on the overall number of individuals affected in a health care facility. Conducting one or more rounds of testing when undetected transmission is suspected (or possible) helps to identify infected residents and staff before they get symptoms or if they never get symptoms. This makes it possible to manage people who are infected in order to limit further spread of COVID. Any resident or staff who tests positive is placed in isolation.