PINES WORKING TO CONTAIN, PREVENT SPREAD OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — Health officials have no clear idea how COVID-19 got into The Pines, but they are doing all they can to contain and prevent its spread within and beyond the long-term care facility.

The two men who tested positive for the coronavirus this week — a resident and staff member both with mild symptoms — remain, respectively, in isolation and quarantine.

Norm Barrette, District of Muskoka’s commissioner of health services, said the testing results show they are “never more important than now.”

In a 30-minute Zoom call with the media this morning, he said he had just been in a conference call with Simcoe-Muskoka Regional Health Unit chief medical officer of health Dr. Charles Gardner, who said in such cases as this the virus most times it is introduced from outside the facility.

Barrette said the health unit and Ministry of Health are following up and investigating further the circumstances around how the men came down with the symptoms.

With 160 residents and 184 staff, The Pines underwent full testing with negative results.

Only 14 staff who were unavailable remain to be tested today, Sept. 3.

And they will continue regular testing of staff — but not residents unless needed.

After being notified of the latest resident case late Sunday, testing took place Tuesday Sept. 1 and the results came back yesterday, Wednesday Sept. 2.

Barrette said “It was never our desire to have it enter the home.”

But he said they have been planning an outbreak from Day 1 of the pandemic.

The staff member who tested positive did work in the area of the home where the positively-tested resident lives.

Visits to the home are no longer allowed and Barrette says he “empathizes” with families who can’t go and see residents.

But until the health unit allows them to open the doors, he said protection protocols he called “sufficient for now” will continue.

Most of the rules are provincially-mandated with The Pines able to augment as needed.

They includes regular staff health screening before each shift, uniforms left at work, only one entrance for staff and ongoing cleaning of all touch surfaces.

Barrette said a staff virtual town hall with management and health officials is taking place this afternoon to answer their questions.

He said once visitation resumes he doesn’t expect any change in rules, which include safe distance and masks in public and outdoor areas; and COVID test certification within the last 14 days if visiting in the living areas.

With two cases of COVID-19 at the Pines, health officials say they have tested 330 of 344 residents and staff.

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