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Vancouver Coastal Health issues health order to protect long-term care residents

Three care homes in the VCH region have outbreaks of COVID-19
lynn valley care centre

Long-term care workers in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region are now prohibited from working at more than one health care facility, and facilities are to deny any visitors, apart from immediate family members.

The new regulations are part of an order issued Saturday by Dr. Althea Hayden, the public health officer for the VCH region, which includes Richmond, in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 and protect vulnerable seniors.

To date, three care homes –  North Vancouver’s Lynn Valley Care Centre, West Vancouver’s Hollyburn House and Vancouver’s Haro Park Centre – have confirmed cases of the coronavirus among either staff or residents.

The full order issued by VCH:

  • Prohibits long-term care staff and volunteers (with the exception of physicians, paramedics and laboratory technicians) from working at more than one health care facility;
  • Requires facilities to deny access to all visitors to the facility, with the limited exception of the immediate family members and spiritual advisor of residents who are clinically assessed to be at the end of their lives;
  • Prohibits resident transfers between health care facilities unless approved by a Medical Health Officer;
  • Requires facilities to carry out enhanced cleaning of facilities and enhanced screening of staff, contractors and visitors, and to adhere to higher standards for notification of cold and flu-like illnesses;
  • Cancels or postpones indefinitely all group social activities.

Under B.C.’s Public Health Act, medical health officers such as Hayden are given powers to enact and enforce orders.

The order applies to all licensed, long-term care facilities in the VCH region, and comes into force within three days.

The order remains in effect until further notice.

“VCH is taking every precaution necessary to protect the health and safety of its most vulnerable, which includes residents and staff at long-term care homes,” reads a statement from VCH.

“We ask the public to also do their part, which includes staying home when you are sick and social distancing – such as staying home and at least two metres away from others – to help reduce virus transmission.”

Eight of B.C’s nine COVID-19-related deaths are linked to the Lynn Valley Care Centre.

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