The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

A neighbour and generous donor to the Yee Hong Mississauga Centre prepared gift bags for all our seniors, including a hand-drawn Christmas card addressed to each resident. After almost a year of pandemic restrictions, this is one family’s gesture to warm all the hearts in the Mississauga Centre.

One positive COVID test result was returned Tuesday, December 29 at the Markham Centre. Weekly surveillance testing of all staff revealed an employee is positive for the virus. The employee is isolating at home on the instructions of York Region Public Health.

In addition to the existing best-practice infection control measures (enhanced hygiene, cohorting of staff to prevent contamination across floors and between teams) already in place to contain the virus, staff on the affected floor will wear additional PPE. Frequent audits occur to verify staff members follow the strictest infection prevention steps. Staff and the families of affected residents will be kept abreast of developments as new information becomes available.

COVID-19 has been detected in an employee of the Scarborough-McNicoll Centre, and Toronto Public Health has declared an outbreak on the affected floor. In addition to the existing best-practice infection control measures (enhanced hygiene, cohorting of staff to prevent contamination across floors and between teams) already in place to contain the virus, staff on the affected floor will wear additional PPE. Frequent audits occur to verify staff members follow the strictest infection prevention steps. Staff and the families of affected residents will be kept abreast of developments as new information becomes available.

On Monday, December 14 a resident of the Finch Centre was tested for COVID-19 while on a planned medical outing. A positive result was returned yesterday. An outbreak at that offsite medical setting was declared and is the likely cause of COVID exposure.

All staff at the Finch Centre have tested negative for the virus and there is no evidence of illness among residents on the affected floor. A next round of COVID testing is already under way for staff and residents to confirm the virus is not present in the Finch Centre.

The resident was already on isolation due to the medical outing, and was transferred to hospital for ongoing medical treatment unrelated to their COVID status. We wish our resident a quick recovery and a prompt return to their home at the Finch Centre. More information will be reported to the staff and families affected as it becomes available.

A resident of the Yee Hong Mississauga Centre transferred to hospital on the weekend, where the hospital recorded a positive test for COVID-19. Yee Hong is carefully assessing what risk this positive test result might pose to other residents at Yee Hong’s Mississauga Centre. All test results returned for all other residents and staff are negative for COVID-19.

Yee Hong’s full statement is available here.

COVID-19 has been detected in an employee of the Mississauga Centre, and Peel Public Health has declared an outbreak on the affected floor. In addition to the existing best-practice infection control measures (enhanced hygiene, cohorting of staff to prevent contamination across floors and between teams) already in place to contain the virus, staff on the affected floor will wear additional PPE. Frequent audits occur to verify staff members follow the strictest infection prevention steps.

The risk of spread to others at the Centre appears low. The employee last worked with Yee Hong residents on November 26, and had no symptoms of illness at that time. Weekly COVID testing on December 1 confirmed no other Mississauga Centre employees are positive for the virus, and residents show no symptoms of respiratory illness on the floor where the employee last worked. Employee testing resumes tomorrow, December 8, for everyone who works in the building.

Staff and the families of affected residents will be kept abreast of developments as new information becomes available.

Family members may drop off care packages and clothing for their loved ones.

• Drop-off service is available Mon-Fri 10:00am-2:00pm
• DO include: clothing, reading, gifts, photos and mementos
• DO NOT include: food, drinks or valuables
• Items will be cleaned and disinfected by Yee Hong staff before delivery. Yee Hong is NOT responsible for any damage that occurs due to cleaning and disinfecting.

Instructions

1. Place items in clear packaging so contents can be easily identified
2. Add label with following information:
   • Resident’s name
   • Resident’s room number
   • List of contents
   • Your contact information
   • Drop-off date
3. Enter front door and drop off your package with staff at the screening desk

The Ontario government will permit long-term care homes to welcome family visitors. Outdoor visits began Monday, July 6 at Yee Hong Centres for family members who schedule an appointment online. Indoor visits began Monday, August 17.

COVID-19 continues to spread in Ontario, and visitors are subject to our strict health and safety protocols. All visitors must wear a mask. To visit indoors in our family lounge you will be required to bring evidence of a negative result from a recent COVID-19 test.
 

Instructions

1. Download and review the visitor information package
2. Register for your visit here

Short stay absences and temporary absences are permitted for Yee Hong residents. Starting August 28, Directive #3 issued by the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health has loosened the visitor guidelines as well as provided direction for daily and overnight outings. These guidelines will apply:

• For contact tracing purposes, all absences are scheduled by completing the online request form.
• All residents will be screened before departure and upon return from their absence.
• We will seek consent to test the resident upon return from their absence.
• We will follow our current protocol and isolate the resident upon return from their absence, regardless of the duration of the absence, for 14 days.
• We will follow our current protocols which is aligned with the Public Health COVID-19 Testing Guidance and if any resident exhibits any typical or atypical symptoms they must be isolated and tested for COVID-19 in accordance with Directive #3.

Instructions

1. Download and read Yee Hong’s visitor and absence protocols
2. Complete the Resident Absence Request Form online for an outing with a resident

Please note that no visitation will be allowed when an outbreak is declared in a home. A home on outbreak will follow outbreak protocol and visits and outings are closely monitored and allowed only when deemed as essential visitors.