By Kaitlyn Clark
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—The Haldimand Norfolk health district moved into the second of five COVID-19 levels on Saturday after outbreaks were announced in two congregate settings last week, which follows a number of other small outbreaks in the community as reported last week.
Grandview Lodge long-term care home has had at least three staff, three residents, and one contracted service provider test positive as of press time. One staff member that tested positive has since tested negative and remains asymptomatic. The first positive tests were discovered as part of regular, required testing.
“The outbreak currently appears to be contained within one unit of the home. We are awaiting further test results and will provide updates to the community as necessary,” said a press release from Haldimand County, who operates the home. “Grandview Lodge will take all necessary steps to keep our residents and staff safe. Our thoughts go out to all of the affected individuals and their families.”
Grandview Lodge Administrator Jennifer Jacob released the steps the home was taking, noting, “These decisions have not been made lightly and are in collaboration with public health officials. We know our residents are among the most vulnerable and we are doing everything within our power to support and protect them.”
The steps include:
- Cohorts – All residents and staff have been cohorted into single home areas, including with designated staff break areas, to reduce risk of transmission between units. Residents in Hillview and Bridgeview are isolated in their rooms as these areas “have a higher potential for exposure”.
- High risk contact – Anyone who spent 10-plus minutes with someone who tested positive while not wearing a mask or distancing must self-isolate for 14 days. This should exclude visitors as they are required to wear masks.
- Testing – All residents and staff have been tested; some results were still pending as of press time. Staff who tested positive or were deemed high risk are self-isolating at home.
- Restrictions on leaving – Residents are prohibited from leaving their home except for medical needs. Any family who wishes to remove a resident from the home must care for the resident for the duration of the outbreak.
- Visitation – Only essential visitors are permitted when a resident is very ill or at end of life.
- Resident impact – Jacob noted that the need for full personal protective equipment and other changes going forward will create some delays in timing of services, particularly for meal service as residents in two areas will receive all meals individually in their rooms.
“As we have done since the beginning of the pandemic, staff are committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to contain the virus and protect our residents,” said Cathy Case, General Manager of Corporate & Social Services at Haldimand County.
On November 5, Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) also declared an outbreak at Schuyler Farms in Simcoe as three migrant workers tested positive. On November 9, Medical Officer of Health Shanker Nesathurai said that number was up to 10. While all positive cases at that point were migrant workers, he noted that they do not necessarily all live on the farm. At that time around 200 people had been tested in connection to the outbreak, although it was not known as of press time how many results were still pending.
Nesathurai added that they are “working hard to contain” the spread of the virus in both outbreaks.
In regard to Grandview Lodge, he said, “In medicine you can never really predict the future. We hope to contain this without any loss of life and with the least burden to the patients, but it’s premature to say how it will unfold.”
Nesathurai noted that HNHU regularly handles outbreaks in any given year, although COVID-19 has added “additional strain” and that he does have some concerns their resources, along with those of the hospitals, could be “saturated” if outbreaks continue. HNHU has recently been approved for 17 new full-time equivalent staff, which is expected to alleviate some of that strain, although some programming will continue to be limited as staff are redirected to the COVID-19 effort.
The five colour coded levels
Ontario has created five colour coded levels for COVID-19 restrictions in place of its previous three stage reopening plan. The first stage, Green – Prevent, has standard measures under Stage 3 reopening with only the highest risk settings remaining closed. There were 20 health districts in that level as of press time.
Yellow – Protect is second, and here Haldimand Norfolk is joined by nine other districts. This level includes “enhanced targeted enforcement, fines, and enhanced education to limit further transmission” along with “public health measures for high risk settings.” These measures include, but are not limited to:
- Limited operating hours at bars, restaurants, meeting and event spaces
- Limiting the number of people who may be seated together to six at bars, restaurants, meeting and event spaces
- Requiring contact information at bars, restaurants, meeting and event spaces, and for all patrons of sports and recreational facilities
- Requiring attendance records for all team sports
- Requiring appointments for entry to sports and recreational facilities
- Increased spacing (3 metres) at facilities with weights or weight machines and in exercise or fitness classes
- Recreational programs limited to 10 people per room indoors and 25 outdoors
Gathering limits remain capped at 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
All non-essential travel from areas of high transmission to areas of low transmission should be avoided. Nesathurai also reiterated his plea for people to avoid Friday the 13th gatherings: “Historically it has drawn many, many people – I would hazard to say thousands. I ask the motorcycle community to stay at home. It is imperative you make this civic contribution by staying home.”
Matt Terry, Director of Corporate Communications for Norfolk County, said that there will be a “full complement of bylaw officers” in Port Dover that day and added, “Do your part for Port Dover and show support for the community by keeping it healthy and safe and skip this event.”
Only two regions are in the third category, Orange – Restrict, which has intermediate measures and greater restrictions. Peel Region is alone in the fourth level, Red – Control, which includes stringent measures across multiple sectors and a return to a modified Stage 2. The final stage is Grey – Lockdown, widescale closures may be implemented in a version of Stage 1 reopening. Currently no districts have been put into this level.
