McCormick Care Group – COVID-19 Update

Friday, March 11, 2022

This is a McCormick Care Group update for Friday, March 11, 2022.

The ministry is continuing to ease the temporary measures that were put in place to reduce the impact of the Omicron wave. Consistent with the shared goal to strike an appropriate balance between the risk of COVID-19 and overall resident quality of life, health and well-being, the following changes are being made to the COVID-19 Guidance Document for Long-Term Care Homes in Ontario, effective March 14, 2022, as communicated last evening:

• All general visitors, including children under the age of five, can resume visits. General visitors, with the exception of children under the age of five, will need to follow the vaccination policy of the individual long-term care home.
• Limits on outdoor visits will be lifted, and homes can return to their regular practices on use of available outdoor spaces. Outdoor visitors must wear a mask for the duration of the visit. While they do not have to take a rapid test prior to the visit, they must undergo active screening.
• The limit on indoor visits will increase to four general visitors and/or caregivers per resident at a time.
• All residents are permitted to go on overnight absences. Currently, social day absences for all residents regardless of vaccination status are permitted, as are overnight absences for residents with at least three doses.
  • Testing of residents returning from day or overnight absences at established intervals will continue until further notice.
• Cohorting will no longer be required for social activities, although this practice must be maintained for dining.
• Social group activities can be increased in size (i.e., more than 10) while larger social group activities where potential crowding can occur should continue to be avoided; IPAC measures should continue to be followed by staff, residents and visitors to promote safety and well-being (e.g., masking, distancing, good ventilation, etc.).

Rapid Testing Updates

As of Monday, March 14, 2022, approved essential caregivers will not have to wait for their rapid test to process before proceeding to the floor. General visitors, unvaccinated essential caregivers and support workers who are not regulated health care providers must wait for the rapid test to process and yield a negative result before gaining entry to the home.

Caregivers

Effective March 14, 2022, essential caregivers will not be required to have a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination remains a key defense against COVID-19, and McCormick Home will continue to encourage those who are eligible to get vaccinated and to receive a booster dose.

After much thought and consideration and in recognition of the fact that McCormick Home is home to many residents, the home will now permit unvaccinated caregivers/visitors to resume entry to the home, effective March 14, 2022, with certain requirements in place. These requirements will assist in our effort to balance safety for our staff, fellow residents and visitors, while recognizing the value and importance that family members bring to our residents’ quality of life.  

Thank you,

Tanya Pol
Administrator