County’s nursing home asks staff and visitors to take voluntary rapid COVID-19 test; mandatory for people who have travelled
Administrator | Dec 10, 2021 | Comments 1
As COVID-19 cases reach record numbers in the region (203 active cases as of Dec. 10), the County’s long-term care home asks that visitors and staff take a voluntary rapid test before visiting – regardless of vaccination status. People who have travelled outside of Canada within the past 14 days must take a test and have a negative result before entering the long-term care home. Each test is valid for 48 hours.
The strengthened screening, as a result of the new omicron variant, comes into effect Monday.
“We know that this variant of concern is highly contagious. As case counts continue to increase in our region, we are acting with heightened vigilance and taking a proactive approach to ensure the safety of our residents,” says Kyle Cotton, Executive Director, H.J. McFarland Memorial Home.
Staff and visitors who have travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days must undergo rapid antigen testing and receive a negative result prior to entering H.J. McFarland Memorial Home, regardless of their vaccination status. Each test is valid for 48 hours. The changes come into effect as of Monday, Dec. 13.
Furthermore, anyone who is required to quarantine by the Government of Canada is not permitted to enter H.J. McFarland until released from quarantine. This requirement also applies to individuals in the same household as the person required to quarantine.
Free testing is available at H.J. McFarland daily from 10 am until 6 pm.
Filed Under: News from Everywhere Else
You might be interested to know the County actually has 4 “Nursing Homes” – three of which are privately owned, (AKA “for-profit” homes) – not just one as your article implies.
You might be further interested in knowing that the Omni Homes require that all staff and visitors have a mandatory Rapid Antigen Test – not voluntary – before entering.
So much for the notion that private sector homes are more lax than the not-for-profit in monitoring for COVID.