Photo Credit: North Peace Housing Foundation Facebook.

By Shane Clausing

COVID-19 outbreak Hines Creek

COVID-19 outbreak announced at Homesteader Lodge in Hines Creek

Aug 31, 2020 | 12:26 PM

The North Peace Housing Foundation announced on Facebook on Monday that the Homesteader Lodge facility, located in the Village of Hines Creek, has a confirmed COVID-19 outbreak.

According to a post on the North Peace Housing Foundation Facebook page, the home confirmed it’s first case of COVID-19 back on August 22.

The facility said once the test result came back positive, residents and families were notified and all residents and staff at the facility were tested the following day.

Test results from the home came back on the morning of August 29 and eight positive cases were found amongst the residents.

The facility says six of the residents that tested positive are asymptomatic.

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In the Facebook post, the facility says one resident who tested positive for COVID-19 passed away on August 23, however, it has yet to be determined if COVID-19 was the cause of the death.

One North Peace Housing Foundation staff member has tested positive as a result of the outbreak, and another is self-isolating as a precautionary measure.

With eight confirmed cases at the home, the building has been put on a 14-day quarantine to help prevent anymore spread of the virus.

The home says any family or support visits inside the building will need to be scheduled in advance.

The following measures have been put in place as the home attempts to contain the spread:

• NPHF Staff are limited to working in only one building during a confirmed outbreak.
• Any staff member feeling unwell, and/or who may have come into contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or who has recently been tested MUST disclose this information to their supervisor. Doing so will not result in dismissal or job loss.
• All residents will be screened for symptoms twice daily. Results will be documented.
• Residents and staff have been advised to increase their self-checks to twice daily.
• Any individual (staff or resident) showing COVID-19 symptoms will be required to isolate, as per the latest order issued by Dr. Deena Hinshaw.
• All staff with direct resident contact, or who are working in common areas within 6 feet of any resident or other staff, must wear a mask. Use of additional personal protective equipment (PPE) will be directed according to the outbreak protocol.
• All meals will be delivered to the rooms of all residents in isolation.
• Residents in isolation must not leave their rooms (even if they feel better and have no symptoms) until they are cleared by Public Health.
• All resident recreational/group activities have been cancelled for the duration of the confirmed outbreak.
• Staff schedules will be reviewed regularly to ensure that appropriate staffing levels are maintained during this confirmed outbreak.
• Hairdressing services are not permitted while in outbreak status.
• New admissions into the Lodge will not be permitted, unless at the explicit direction of the Zone Medical Officer of Health.
• Cleaning and disinfection will continue to be performed at least once per day on all low touch surfaces (e.g., shelves, benches, windowsills, message or white boards, etc.). Any high touch surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, call bells, handrails, phones, elevator buttons, TV remote), common areas, dining areas and lounges, will be cleaned and disinfected a minimum of three times daily.
• Gifts will no longer be accepted.

The home says that restrictions will be monitored and re-evaluated within 14 days.