Letting your guard down could be dangerous – what to do about Omicron

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As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is now transmitting in the community in British Columbia, we are reminded to be VIGILANT in our layers of protection.

Omicron is a new variant and a highly transmittable virus. Dr. Bonnie Henry, our Provincial Health Officer reminds us that we need to do the measures that we know work in reducing the spread of the virus and keeping ourselves safe. Although the initial perspective on this virus is that it is milder, Dr. Henry says that “milder” still means very, very sick – just not hospitalized at this point. It is important to keep yourself safe from this virus.

  1. Physical Distancing – it’s still 6 feet – this means that you remain 6 feet from others, even when everyone is wearing a mask. This includes public places like stores and restaurants. This is not happening in most stores or churches. Be as vigilant as you can with this. Be aware and make the choice to avoid large groups during this time, if possible. Shop online, get takeout, watch church online. Stay 6 feet apart from each other in the break rooms, especially when you take your mask off to drink or eat.
  2. Wearing your mask – always and properly – Menno Place provides masks for the safety of our staff – please use them as you’ve been instructed: pinch tight on the top of your nose, do not wear them under your chin, get a new mask when dirty or after you’ve taken them off, take a medical mask home to wear when you are in public (we know that they are better than cloth). In the Terrace East outbreak we saw no transmission to the staff – this includes the dietary staff who were serving the COVID positive index case several meals. It also includes the housekeeping and care staff who provided care and services to the COVID positive residents. There are many factors to this, including early detection of the COVID positive case. We know that mask wearing and hand hygiene were key to this success. In your work day, you only take your mask off when you are in the break room (for care givers) or in your office alone (those with office space).
  3. Hand hygiene – very often – Be very conscientious about this. Sanitize often and between times with residents. Sanitize at the entrance to any building (including stores and churches) and again when you leave the building. Wash hands for the full 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday twice) with soap and warm water. Take your time. Encourage everyone in your family to practice hand hygiene. Put sanitizer at your home entrance and use it. Encourage your family members and guests to be in the habit of sanitizing before touching anything in your home.
  4. Rapid Testing – an added layer of detection – the rapid tests are key to preventing transmission among our residents and your co-workers. They take a full 10 minutes to get the results. Take the time. It will save you and many others the hardship of droplet precautions, enhanced monitoring or outbreak if we catch a COVID positive BEFORE the staff member enters a unit. This Omicron is HIGHLY contagious. You may be doing everything safely and STILL get COVID. Do this for yourself, the residents you serve and your co-workers.
  5. Vaccination – get every shot – Have you received your 3rd booster? It’s time to get all layers of protection if you haven’t. If you aren’t able to book, head to the Haida Ave.  COVID vaccination location and tell them you are a healthcare worker and you need your 3rd booster shot in order to keep yourself and our most vulnerable citizens safe.
  6. Symptom Monitoring – key to keeping others safe – if you have ANY symptoms of COVID, head to Haida Ave testing location and have a PCR test done. You need to be certain that you do not have COVID before entering the Menno Place workplace. It could be that you have the flu, but you HAVE TO KNOW for sure before coming to work. If you call Staffing, they’ll tell you to get your COVID test. Do it as often as you have a symptom. This is key to keeping Menno Place residents and your co-workers safe.
  7. Get your flu shot – only 13% of our staff have done this so far – The flu shot will not protect against COVID-19, but it will help reduce your risk of getting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Having both illnesses at the same time could put you at a higher risk for severe complications.

Exhaustion: We are all exhausted, both mentally and physically, from this pandemic. Our hearts sank to hear of a COVID positive and Enhanced Monitoring in Menno Hospital E1. Here we go… again…

We each have tools to fight this virus: We fight this virus with our vigilance and layers of protection. We each do our part. We can do it. We have done it. We can do it again.

Let’s keep Menno Place safe: Public Health experts are telling us that January 2022 could be the worst wave of this pandemic. We need to dig deep to find the motivation and resolve to do all that we can, each one of us, to keep January 2022 from being the worst at Menno Place.

You are amazing: Thank you for all you HAVE done and all you ARE doing. You are the HEART of Menno Place and we appreciate your skills, compassion and vigilance.

Blessings to you on this day and in this season as you prepare your hearts and homes for Christmas.

The Leadership Team