The Interior Health Authority is supporting the province-wide response to the COVID-19 pandemic by limiting the number of visitors entering all IH sites to essential visits only until further notice.
IH issued the notice late Monday afternoon and said it reflects the provincial state of emergency.
“The restriction of visits will help keep our patients, individuals in care, families and health-care workers safe,” IH stated. “It also aligns with the Provincial Health Officer’s recommendations for social distancing.”
Essential visits include, but are not limited to:
- Visits for compassionate care (e.g. end of life and critical illness)
- Visits considered paramount to patient/client care and wellbeing (caregivers and support persons), such as assistance with feeding or mobility.
To further limit the number of people entering sites at this time, the same caregiver or support person should attend each essential visit wherever possible.
“Patient navigators will be at entrances of all facilities to ensure visitors are aware of the new restrictions,” IH said. “We understand the importance of visits from family and loved ones to our patients and long-term care residents and we appreciate everyone’s support in keeping our patients, families, and health-care workers safe.”
In addition, IH asks the public to keep the following in mind:
- People experiencing fever, cough, runny/stuffy nose, sore throat, and/or diarrhea must not visit any IH facility
- Anyone who has traveled outside of Canada in the previous 14 days must not visit patients/residents in any IH facility
- Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 (or who has been in contact with a person infected with COVID-19) during the previous 14 days must not visit patients/residents in any IH facility
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