Public Health Sudbury and Districts is increasing COVID-19 testing in all long-term care homes.

“To support the provincial announcement of expanded COVID-19 testing for vulnerable populations, immediate steps are being taken to organize for the testing of every resident and staff at each long-term care home in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts,” PHSD said Friday.

In co-ordination with Ontario Health north region, PHSD is developing local implementation plans for this massive undertaking.

“This testing is being done to gather a point-in-time picture of the situation in long-term care homes,” Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, the medical officer of health, said. “The test results will help us better understand the presence of COVID-19 infections and will inform future planning to ensure ongoing protection of all residents and staff. The volume of tests that will be done is huge, and risk assessments of the homes will set priority levels for each to determine schedules for testing.”

One elderly resident of a long-term care facility in Sudbury has been diagnosed with COVID-19. A resident of St. Joseph’s Villa, near Laurentian University, was confirmed earlier this week to have coronavirus after an employee of the long-term care home tested positive for the illness.

PHSD said all residents and staff in homes will be eligible for testing; this is in addition to testing already underway for anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 and their close contacts. All long-term care homes, including families, will be engaged in this process.

“The protection of our most vulnerable populations is of utmost importance and is a mutual responsibility and commitment,” Sutcliffe said. “Our valued collaborations with health sector partners and ongoing partnerships are more important today than ever.”

It is expected that established COVID-19 assessment centres and community paramedics, among others, will be involved in supporting testing.

In addition to testing, the following actions have been implemented in long-term care homes:

– Staff and residents follow strict physical distancing guidelines.

– Group activities are discontinued.

– Staff screening occurs at the beginning and end of every shift, including temperature checks for fever.

– All staff and essential visitors wear masks, gowns, goggles and gloves.

– Residents are assessed three times a day for symptoms. This includes temperature checks.

Visitor restrictions have been in effect since the beginning of March.

Employees can no longer work in more than one long-term care or retirement home, or for more than one health service provider.

If you think you may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, first self-isolate, then contact an assessment centre or use the online self-assessment tool to see if you need to seek further care.

Additional information will be provided about specific timing and processes in the near future.

For more information on self-isolation, self-assessment and assessment centres visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call PHSD at 705-522-9200 (toll-free: 1-866-522-9200). Visit Ontario.ca to learn more about the province’s response to COVID-19.

sud.editorial@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @SudburyStar