McCormick Care Group – COVID-19 Update

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

This is a McCormick Care Group – COVID-19 Update for Wednesday, September 16, 2020.  We will continue to provide these updates twice weekly, on Mondays and Thursdays, or as needed.

There are no probable or suspected cases of COVID-19 among our residents or staff at this time.

A community COVID-19 outbreak was declared by the Middlesex-London Public Health Unit as a result of five Western University students testing positive this past weekend.  This development has had a significant impact on the demand for COVID-19 testing at the city’s assessment centres.

I have reached out to the local health unit as some families have been turned away from obtaining their testing, which would allow them to maintain their indoor visits or their role as a caregiver.

The health unit has verified that, due to high demand volumes, the assessment centres are prioritizing testing for patients with symptoms, those who require a test for a medical procedure, and those who have had contact with an individual with COVID-19.

I have advocated for additional testing centres and more options for families of long-term care residents, but at this time, families/caregivers are still required to have a current negative COVID-19 test to meet the government directive.  We are encouraging family members and caregivers to contact their primary care physician to inquire if they are offering testing.  Otherwise, our recommendation is to monitor the health unit’s website for the latest information on the status of assessment centre wait times.

Tanya Pol
Administrator