By Cecilia Nasmith
A second Golden Plough Lodge (GPL) staff member is in self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 during weekly testing of all staff.
With an outbreak already declared following the Jan. 16 positive test of another staff member, that state of outbreak has now been extended until Feb. 3.
This latest employee last worked in the home on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Contact tracing has been completed by the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit, and the risk of exposure within the home is considered to be low.
Under provincial guidelines, an outbreak is declared at a long-term care facility once a single case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in a resident or staff member.
“We continue to employ outbreak-management practices to minimize any opportunity for transmission within the home, including strict enforcement of appropriate personal protective equipment at all times, frequent handwashing and enhanced environmental cleaning,” Administrator Bill Detlor said in the announcement.
“All staff are carefully self-monitoring for any symptoms, and we are actively screening and monitoring residents throughout each day to ensure immediate symptom identification, isolation, testing and contact tracing in coordination with the Health Unit. Out of an abundance of caution, we will continue with the protocol of limiting residents to their quarters to minimize any non-essential person-to-person contact.
“This is difficult news for our residents and their families. I want to assure everyone that we are being vigilant in our approach to keeping this virus from circulating in our home. We are also working with our two staff members on leave to ensure they have the supports they need during self-isolation,” Detlor said.
“Keeping our residents and staff safe remains at the forefront of our every action.”
