Hospital’s Internal COVID-19 Pandemic Response Moves to Level Grey

Shared on behalf Jennifer Wintermans, EVP, Communications and Corporate Relations, COVID-19 Lead

Our Hospital will be moving its internal COVID-19 Pandemic Response Level from Red (Control) to Grey (Lockdown), effective Tuesday, January 18th.

As of today, our Hospital has a total of 26 admitted patients with COVID-19 and of those, six patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In our community there are currently 290 active COVID-19 cases, although we know this number is underestimated due to changes in Ministry of Health testing eligibility. Additionally, we have seen an increase in institutional outbreaks and congregate living areas in our region and community. 

As part of Response Level Grey (Lockdown), the following components have been reviewed and prepared to action:

  • Level 3 Clinical Service Continuity Assessment Team
  • Testing all New Admissions for COVID-19
  • Level 3 Volunteers
  • Activating/Expanding COVID-19 Care Unit
  • Education and Simulation
  • Remote Work
  • Clinical Service Ramp Down
  • Contractors and Vendors
  • Essential Care Partners

Currently, our Essential Care Partner (ECP) guidelines allow for one ECP per patient to decrease traffic and unknown transmission at this time. This will be rigidly enforced on all units and exceptions must be vetted through unit managers to IMT. Hot zones will only have ECPs that are critical to care of patients, exceptions would be vetted through onsite unit leadership. Areas in outbreak will not be allowed to have ECPs.  Exceptions will need to be vetted through managers. ECPs should be reminded of PPE requirements as per ECP guidelines.

ECPs will not be allowed to access the Cafeteria, Robins Donuts and Season’s Gift Shop. Patients are restricted to their unit and will only be able to attend appointments accompanied by a porter or staff member, and may ambulate within common areas of the unit.

As a reminder, all surgery patients regardless of vaccination status will be required to have a COVID-19 PCR swab completed.  COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Testing results will not be accepted.

Any changes to the above operational activities will be communicated through additional updates as required.

Please note that eye protection and masking is mandatory in all areas of the Hospital. Adhering to PPE requirements is crucial as it helps decrease the spread of COVID-19 within our Hospital, and high-risk exposure.

All Hospital COVID-19 updates and resources are available on the iNtranet at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/.