Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

April 24, 2020

From:
Dr. Piotr Oglaza
Medical Officer of Health & CEO
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

To: Long Term Care Homes

In this Issue:

  1. NEW: COVID-19 Testing for ALL Long-Term Care Home Residents and Staff (REVISED April 24 - see highlighted section in 3rd paragraph)
  2. Additional Guidance and Resources
  3. Letter to LTCH Staff (REVISED)

NEW: COVID-19 Testing for ALL Long-Term Care Home Residents and Staff (revised)

As part of the COVID-19 Action Plan for Protecting Long-Term Care Homes, the Ontario Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Command Table has announced further action to help protect our vulnerable population in long-term care (LTC) homes during this pandemic. In addition to aggressive measures already in place, the MOH is implementing enhanced testing guidelines, comprehensive recruitment initiatives to increase human resources in LTC and performing risk assessments to ensure LTC homes have the supports and resources required.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) has been collaborating with all LTC homes in our area to assist with the MOH requirements. On April 22, the MOH announced immediate proactive surveillance testing of all residents and staff in LTC homes, regardless of symptoms. This enhanced testing is intended to provide a better understanding of the prevalence of COVID-19 within our LTC homes, especially among minimally symptomatic individuals who otherwise might have gone undetected with routine symptom screening. It is also to inform future planning to ensure resources are available to protect the population within long-term care.

HPEPH will immediately begin working with our local LTC homes to implement the enhanced surveillance testing, with a prioritization on facilities with current outbreaks and higher risk needs. We are expecting that all LTC home residents and staff will have COVID-19 test collection, whether or not they are symptomatic, within the next two weeks. Please note that if a staff or resident has recently been tested for COVID-19 - AFTER April 16 - a second test is not required at this time (unless clinically indicated due to symptoms or new exposure).

Lab Requisitions and Specimen Kits:

  • Lab requisitions specific to this testing will be provided to your facility for testing of residents and staff
  • All “surveillance testing” will occur under a health unit outbreak number specific to your facility. Homes currently in COVID-19 outbreak will continue with the same outbreak number, otherwise a new outbreak number will be provided to complete the surveillance testing
  • Ensure your facility is “copied to” on the lab requisition
  • Ensure requisition is completed in full indicating patient setting information (i.e. HCW, resident of LTC)
  • HPEPH will be providing each facility with specimen kits for ALL residents and 50% of staff (as per previously reported numbers)
  • Additional kits can be ordered using the previously sent COVID-19 specimen kit order form or by calling the CD intake line 613-966-5500 x 349.

COVID-19 Testing:

  • Residents shall be tested at the facility
  • If additional resources are required to complete in-house testing please reach out the HPEPH CD intake line 613-966-5500 x 349 (EMS may be requested to assist with testing of residents)
  • Collected specimens will need to be dropped off at HPEPH Belleville office for transport to Public Health Lab (daily courier pick up is at 2:00 pm)
  • If drop off is not possible, arrangements can be made for HPEPH to pick up swabs by calling CD intake line 613-966-5500 X 349
  • Staff should be tested at the facility as much as possible
  • Asymptomatic staff and residents do not need to self isolate while waiting for the “surveillance COVID-19” results.
  • Please provide staff with the attached letter to assist with test requirements and facilitation of test collection
  • Asymptomatic staff also have the option of booking an appointment for “swab only” at a COVID-19 Assessment Centre starting Monday, April 27 (symptomatic staff should be tested immediately)
    • Belleville Assessment Centre at 613-961-5544
    • Bancroft Assessment Centre at 613-332-2825 x 2222
    • Prince Edward Cunty Assessment Centre – referral must be made by first calling HPEPH COVID-19 Public Intake line at 613-966-5500

Test Results:

  • All COVID-19 results for residents and staff should be received at your facility during this process (ensure your facility is entered as “copied to” on lab requisition)
  • Ensure a system is in place at your facility to record surveillance test results for all residents and staff – Public Health will not be phoning staff or residents with negative results during this process
  • Staff can access their results through the COVID-19 Lab Viewer at: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/index.html

Additional Guidance and Resources:

Resources and guidance documents specific to outbreaks and COVID-19 in LTC and Retirement Homes is available online:

Letter to LTCH Staff (revised)

To access letter sent to LTCH staff from Dr. Oglaza, please follow this hyperlink.

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HPEPH has closed our doors to the public; however, we remain dedicated in protecting our community and providing local HCPs and our community with new information as it becomes available. Current information on COVID-19 specifically for health care providers can be found at hpePublicHealth.ca, Ontario Ministry of Health and at publichealthontario.ca.

 

For more information and for COVID risk assessment, contact our dedicated COVID intake line at 613-966-5500. Phone calls are being answered 7 days a week. Hours Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 6:30 pm; Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

Back to Summary

Contact Information: 

To give us your comments: socialmedia@hpeph.ca

To report communicable diseases:613-966-5500 x349

To report AEFI or DOPHS: Online / Fax - 613-966-1813 or CDCFAX1@hpeph.ca

Health Bulletin Editors: Kamran Khani

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