Originally posted: April 16, 2020
The Ontario government implemented an emergency order designed to ensure that residents of long-term care homes have the requisite care and protections amid the outbreak of COVID-19. More specifically, this temporary order implements more aggressive testing, screening, and surveillance of long-term care home residents and staff, takes additional steps to manage outbreaks and spread of the disease, and allows for the redeployment of health care workers into long-term care homes.
As soon as reasonably possible, and in any event no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2020, any registrant who works as an employee of a long-term care provider and is employed in another health care facility, including a clinic, or hospital shall inform each of the registrant’s employers that they are subject to this Order.
As soon as reasonably possible, and in any event no later than 9:00 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2020, any registrant who works as an employee of a retirement home and is employed in another health care facility, including a clinic or hospital shall inform each of the registrant’s employers that they are subject to this Order.
The most significant change under this order is the limiting of long-term care employees to work in only one location, beginning April 22, 2020. Long-term care providers must ensure that their employees only work in one-long term care home. Registrants in this sector will no longer be able to work in multiple retirement homes or other health care settings
An employee to whom this Order applies shall comply even if doing so would not be in compliance with the provisions of a collective agreement.
Long term care homes and retirement homes should immediately ensure that
all staff wear surgical/procedural mask at all times. This is required for all homes; those in outbreaks and those not in outbreaks. Staff may remove them during breaks but must stay 2 meters away from others.
Essential visitors must wear surgical/procedure masks at all times while in the home. If in contact with a resident with COVID-19, they must wear the appropriate PPE.
The government is enhancing testing, screening, and surveillance for symptomatic residents and staff and those who have been in contact with persons confirmed to have COVID-19; expanding screening to include more asymptomatic contacts of confirmed cases; and leveraging surveillance tools to enable care providers to move proactively against the disease.
To protect the residents of long-term care homes and retirement homes across Ontario, the government is asking Ontario hospitals to temporarily stop transferring patients to long-term care and retirement homes.
Additional information on the steps that Ontario is taking to manage COVID-19 in the long-term care setting can be found here:
ontario.ca/page/covid-19-action-plan-long-term-care-homes
Orders and Guidance for Long-Term Care
If you have questions, please contact our Practice Team at 1.800.890.6570 ext. 240, or
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