Outbreak at Yarmouth Regional Hospital included Veteran's Place
during this latest wave of COVID and the Omicron variant, Lamb said the current wave is causing a significant strain on the health care system and its staff and physicians.
“Across the province we are seeing a large number of staff who have to be off work,” she said. On Jan. 26, she said there was 26 staff out of the workplace at Yarmouth Regional Hospital due to COVID-19 related reasons, which included staff who may have tested positive or were a close contact of a positive case and needed to isolate.
“As part of our COVID-19 response, we have reduced some services, which means we are able to re-deploy staff to areas that need extra support. This redeployment of staff is happening across the province,” she said.
At the Yarmouth hospital, Lamb said they had been able to maintain an appropriate level of staff in the unit where the outbreak was being managed. “Staff really must be commended for the extremely hard work they are doing under difficult circumstances to care for their patients and residents,” she said.
Lamb said Nova Scotia Health introduced enhanced restrictions in the unit where the outbreak was being managed, as well as on another unit where beds are designated for COVID-19 patients. The areas were temporarily closed to designated caregivers, Lamb said on Jan. 26.
“Staff have been able to help arrange daily telephone calls between residents and their family members, and tablets have been made available to allow virtual online face-toface visits,” she said.
She said Nova Scotia Health understands restrictions are difficult for patients and families and they appreciate the important and valuable role family caregivers play in supporting patient care and mental wellbeing.
But restrictions have been an ongoing reality during the pandemic.
“We have not allowed general visitation at Nova Scotia Health facilities since the early days of the pandemic,” Lamb said.
She said in any outbreak in a hospital, Nova Scotia Health constantly monitors the situation with its infection prevention and control team to determine if extra restrictions are necessary.
Lamb said all regional hospitals in the Western Zone of Nova Scotia Health have cared for admitted patients with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
Universal Pandemic Precautions (UPP) are in place for staff and physicians across the province as a measure to protect health care workers from acquiring or spreading COVID-19. This includes the use of a mask, as well as face and eye protection, such as a visor or face shield, for all direct patient contacts.
“Staff who work in areas where patients or clinical staff are present are also directed to take a rapid COIVD-19 test on a regular basis to help identify any positive cases among health care workers before they arrive at work,” she said.
“We are also constantly reviewing restrictions and policies to support safe visitations with patients and residents in Nova Scotia Health facilities. Our goal is to maintain family presence as much as possible while keeping our patients and staff safe.”
As for provincial COVID19 related restrictions on things such as gathering limits and otherwise, the province announced on Jan. 26 that the current province-wide public health restrictions were being extended to Feb. 14.
"We need these restrictions to continue a little longer while we continue to have high hospitalization numbers driven by the Omicron variant," said Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Nova Scotia.
"By continuing to limit activities in our communities, we're helping limit the spread to protect our vulnerable populations, keep schools open and keep our healthcare system running,” he said at the time of the announcement of the restrictions extension. “We'll continue to monitor closely and recognizing the importance of activities like sports, arts and culture to mental and physical health, we will open those activities sooner if possible."