By Cecilia Nasmith
Northumberland County has announced that two employees of the Golden Plough Lodge long-term-care home have tested positive for COVID-19 which – under Ministry of Health guidelines – has brought an outbreak designation by the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
GPL Administrator Bill Detlor said his infection-control team swung into action quickly to implement protocols to minimize any opportunity for transmission within the home.
“We are taking every opportunity to keep residents and staff safe during this outbreak, and we will continue to be vigilant in following ministry directives and infection-control practices we know to be effective in defence against COVID-19,” Detlor added.
Rigorous infection-prevention measures that have been in place in the home throughout the pandemic include:
· Thorough hand hygiene practices;
· Enhanced cleaning protocols;
· Mandatory use of appropriate personal protective equipment by staff at all times;
· Cohorting of residents and staff;
· Daily screening of residents, as well as monitoring throughout each day to ensure immediate symptom identification, isolation, testing and contact tracing in co-ordination with the health unit.
All residents and staff will be tested for COVID-19 using the diagnostic PCR nasal swab method, with repeat tests performed on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Once out of outbreak, the home will return to twice-weekly rapid antigen testing of staff, in alignment with ministry protocols.
Going forward, COVID-19 outbreak notifications for the Golden Plough Lodge will be available exclusively through the on-line HKPR dashboard under the Outbreaks tab.
