COVID-19 is something that we are all going to have to face together. Our primary concern is the health and safety of Ontarians.
We hope you are staying safe and healthy.
Thank you to all the province’s essential services workers and those on the front-line. You step up everyday to ensure individuals, families and seniors have what they need to stay safe and healthy.
Thank you to everyone else who is staying home and practicing physical distancing.
It is important to listen to the advice of Public Health experts:
- Wash hands frequently
- Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth
- Avoid contact with people who are sick
- Practice social-distancing
- Stay home if you’re not feeling well
- If you are concerned or suspect you have the virus, call
Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000 or
Ottawa Public Health: 613-580-6744
New as of May 28
Ontario Takes Further Action to Protect Seniors and Staff in Long-Term Care Homes during COVID-19 Outbreak
To further protect seniors and staff in long-term care homes, the Ontario government announced today that it is extending the mandate of the Incident Management System Long-Term Care Table. This table is composed of health care professionals who make immediate decisions to deal with issues related to staffing levels, infection management and resources during the COVID-19 outbreak.
In April, an Incident Management System (IMS) structure was established to coordinate operational support to long-term care homes. The IMS table meets daily to organize efforts across multiple providers and government to make rapid decisions that support long-term care homes in need. Homes identified for support are those struggling to control outbreaks, complete infection prevention and control assessments, ensure appropriate staffing levels, have access to personal protective equipment (PPE), and complete the testing of all long-term care home residents and staff.
Under IMS leadership, Ontario has seen the following improvements to long-term care homes affected by COVID-19 outbreaks:
- Since May 1, increased the number of low-risk green homes from 356 to 547 homes, representing 87.4% of all long-term care homes.
- Since May 1, reduced the number of high-risk red homes from 35 to 19, a 54.3% improvement.
- As of May 27, 37 hospitals had deployed teams into 59 yellow homes and 19 red homes.
- Completed testing of long-term care resident and staff, with a second round of testing already underway.
- Number of COVID-19 positive tests in long-term care homes decreased from 12.5% to 7.5%.
- As of May 28, 129 out of 626 long-term care homes are in active outbreak, from a high of 190 on May 18.
- 164 outbreaks have been resolved.
The IMS table also facilitated assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces into five homes and deployed 150 hospital teams to support staff in other long-term care homes. Under their leadership, standard infection prevention and control guidelines were issued to all homes and a regular data reporting structure was set in place for long-term care home assessment and testing.
Leadership of the IMS includes:
- Deputy Minister Richard Steele, Ministry of Long-Term Care
- Deputy Minister Helen Angus, Ministry of Health
- Dr. Kevin Smith, President and CEO, University Health Network
- Matthew Anderson, President and CEO, Ontario Health
- Michelle DiEmanuele, President and CEO, Trillium Health Partners
- Dr. Jack Kitts, President and CEO, The Ottawa Hospital
- James Schlegel, President and CEO, Schlegel Health Care
- Dr. Tom Stewart, President and CEO, St. Joseph’s Health System, and CEO, Niagara Health
- Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Ontario
- Dr. Dirk Huyer, Chief Coroner of Ontario
Directive #2 amended under the Emergency Orders that allows regulated health professions to resume practicing as of May 26, 2020
(such as dentists, chiropractors, physiotherapists and massage therapists)
The province has announced that Ontario’s regulated health professions can re-open if approval and guidance is given by the regulating bodies. These professions include dentists, massage therapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors.
You can view the list of regulated health professions in Ontario here.
A special note from VISTAS – our Alta Vista community newspaper is BACK IN PRINT, after a month of hiatus (an effort to support our volunteer distribution team’s safety and commitment to follow Stay at Home directives). While we are excited to be back on track with our final paper before the summer months, we acknowledge that some places of business who usually have papers for pickup are still not open. We’d like to remind our readers that VISTAS is also posted online each month at vistas-news.ca in addition to paper copies. Our June issue will be hot off the press and on the website on Friday, May 29.