Visitors are banned from Alberta long-term care and group home facilities

Apr 7 2020, 9:07 pm

There is now a province-wide ban on visitors to continuing care, long-term care, and licensed group home facilities, according to a release from the Province of Alberta.

This does not apply to visitors who are essential for providing care that cannot be provided by centre staff, or visitors of those who are dying.

In Alberta, there have been 1,348 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, with 112 of those being detected in continuing care centres. There have been 13 deaths in care centres in Alberta due to coronavirus.

“Residents of all continuing care sites are at extreme risk if exposed to COVID-19, and we are doing everything possible to ensure their safety. I know this will have a profound impact on the lives of those residents and their families; this is not a step that we take lightly,” said Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw in a press release.

“I’m asking all Albertans to reach out and support their loved ones through the phone, video and any other means possible.”

This restriction applies to all licensed supportive living, long-term care, and other continuing care facilities across the province.

It also applies to residential addiction centres licensed under the Mental Health Services Protection Act.

Family, friends, and religious leaders will be allowed to visit a dying resident after undergoing health screening protocols and donning a mask. Anyone sick will not be allowed into the building.

Specialized care visitors will also be screened and subject to the same sanitary standards.

These visitors will be allowed in one at a time and will not be allowed to interact with any other residents.

This announcement builds on the previous restrictions and standards imposed by Alberta Health Services, in order to protect a vulnerable population from outbreaks of coronavirus and potential death.

There are currently nine care centres across Alberta handling outbreaks.

Jayme TuckerJayme Tucker

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