By Cecilia Nasmith
One case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at the Golden Plough Lodge, Northumberland County has confirmed, with an employee testing positive.
As a result, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit has declared the GPL to be in outbreak - as per Ministry of Health guidelines, a long-term-care facility is considered to be in outbreak once a single case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in a resident or staff member.
“We recognize that such news is distressing for our residents, families and staff,” Administrator Bill Detlor acknowledged in the announcement.
“Keeping residents and staff safe and healthy continues to be our primary focus, and we remain vigilant in our efforts to keep this virus from circulating in the home.”
Detlor noted that 95% of Plough residents have been fully vaccinated, calling it “a robust layer of protection against the virus.
“In addition, all consenting staff have received their first dose of the vaccination.
“In co-ordination with public health, we will also be implementing outbreak-management protocols, including isolating residents in their quarters during the outbreak period in order to minimize any risk, and every resident will be tested.
“Our thoughts go out to the employee, who is currently at home in self-isolation. We wish them a speedy recovery.”
GPL staff have followed strict infection control measures throughout the pandemic, including thorough hand-hygiene practices, enhanced cleaning protocols, mandatory use of appropriate personal protective equipment at all times, and twice-daily screening. Residents are also actively screened and monitored throughout each day to ensure immediate symptom identification, isolation, testing and contact tracing in co-ordination with the health unit.
During the outbreak period, staff will be tested twice-weekly using the diagnostic PCR nasal-swab method. Once out of outbreak, the home will return to three-times-weekly rapid antigen testing of staff, in alignment with Ministry protocols.
