OMNI restricts visitors, staff in fight against SARS
Wednesday April 2, 2003 Natalie Miller
PETERBOROUGH OMNI is turning away visitors and sending home
nurses who work in hospitals as precautions to fight the spread of SARS,
a severe
respiratory virus that has killed six people in Ontario.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 124 confirmed cases
of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in the province which has led
to Ontario-wide hospital
visitor restrictions and home isolation. The heightened measures to contain
the spread of SARS were announced by Ontario’s chief medical officer
of health and the commissioner of public security Monday.
OMNI is responding by limiting visitors, re-routing deliveries and halting
activities and entertainment for residents.
“As a group we decided to restrict visitors to protect residents
and staff,” says Kelly Burns, director of care at Riverview Manor
in Peterborough.
Kelly and administrator Sue Matwey met with managers from all long-term
care homes in the Peterborough area Monday and collectively chose to
restrict visitors to immediate family members only. Those restrictions
were stepped-up Tuesday to only family of palliative care residents.
“We’re just reassuring the families this is for the protection
of residents and staff,” says Kelly. She adds there are no cases
of SARS in Ontario long-term care homes and these are proactive measures.
All of the OMNI homes in the province face similar restrictions.
There are no group activities, entertainment or volunteers allowed into
the homes. All doors at Riverview Manor have been closed except for
the service entrance, where deliveries and staff will be directed.
Upon entering the building, staff members will be screened by the charge
nurse or director of care to determine if they have experienced SARS
symptoms, which include a fever of more than 38 C and respiratory problems.
They will also be asked if they have been in a hospital within the past
10 days.
OMNI is turning away employees who work in hospital or community nursing
environments for 14 days following exposure to those settings.
Staff, visitors and delivery people will be provided a mask and instructed
to use the alcohol rinse.
“We’re reinforcing strict hand-washing,” says
Kelly.
For information about SARS, visit the Ministry of Health
and Long Term Care’s Web site at www.gov.on.ca or
call the info line at 1-888-668-4636 for general inquiries.
If you
have symptoms of SARS call Telehealth Ontario
at 1-866-797-0000.
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