Amid rising COVID-19 case numbers and the omicron variant, public health measures are being strengthened at Ontario long-term care and retirement homes.
Today, the province announced the temporary changes that include testing fully vaccinated visitors and staff.
Effective immediately, all general visitors at long-term care homes must be fully vaccinated. All homes are also being directed to increase infection prevention and control (IPAC) audits.
“Our priority is to protect long-term care residents from COVID-19. Faced with rising rates of community infection and the emerging threat of the Omicron variant, we are immediately implementing further measures to protect our most vulnerable based on the best available scientific and medical advice,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of Long-Term Care, in a news release.
“These further measures build on the ones already taken, including mandatory vaccinations, priority for third doses and randomized testing — and will provide the best level of protection possible.”
The new measures for long-term care homes are effective Friday, Dec. 17:
- Testing all staff, students, volunteers and caregivers at least twice a week before entering the home regardless of vaccination status.
- Visitors and support workers who provide essential services will need a negative test to enter a home, unless they had a negative test the day before.
- Caregivers must be fully vaccinated unless they have a valid medical exemption or are attending someone in palliative at end-of-life. Caregivers must have their first dose by Dec. 20 to be fully vaccinated by Feb. 22, 2022. Until then, designated caregivers who are not fully vaccinated will be restricted to only the resident's room they're visiting.
- Indoor visits are limited to a maximum of two people per resident at a time. Where feasible, outdoor visits will have maximum of four visitors per resident.
- In addition to cohorting residents for mealtimes, residents will be in cohorts for higher-risk activities such as singing and dancing. Large social activities are discouraged.
- Only residents who are fully vaccinated can take social day trips. Residents leaving for social reasons must be actively screened upon return. If there is a known exposure to a case they'll be isolated and given a rapid test. All residents can leave the home for essential reasons such as medical appointments.
- Overnight absences for social reasons will be suspended. Residents who want to leave for overnight social purposes or due to COVID-19 may be temporarily discharged.
New measures are also being added to retirement homes. The following measures are effective Dec. 22:
- Testing all staff, students, volunteers and caregivers at least twice a week before entering the home regardless of vaccination status.
- Visitors and support workers must take a rapid test regardless of vaccination status.
- Retirement homes are strongly encouraged to restrict visitors to people who are fully vaccinated and add requirements for essential visitors and general visitors who are not fully vaccinated.
- The number of visitors and group sizes for social activities and events will be limited
- Implementing additional testing and isolation requirements for residents when they return from an overnight absence.
- Instructing retirement homes to increase IPAC audits.
As of Nov. 30, the province reports 99 per cent of long-term care staff, students and volunteers are fully vaccinated and 86 per cent of eligible residents have received their booster.
At retirement homes, Ministry of Health data shows more than 83 per cent of eligible residents have received three doses of the vaccine. Retirement Home Regulatory Authority data reports 86 per cent of the retirement homes sector declared that 90 per cent of more of their staff are fully vaccinated.