The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is alerting the public of an increase in COVID-19 activity in Yorkton and area including the RMS of Orkney (244), Fertile Belt (183) and Saltcoats (213) and is urging Saskatchewan residents to follow public health measures and personal safety precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, including maintaining a physical distance of two metres from others and masking when that's not possible, frequent hand hygiene and self-isolating for those who develop any symptoms of COVID-19.
In order to keep everyone in SHA facilities and care homes safe during this time, family presence/visitation is being limited to compassionate reasons only in the following:
Hospitals: Yorkton Regional Health Centre, St. Anthony’s Hospital - Esterhazy
Long term care (LTC) homes: Langenburg Health Care Complex- LTC, Lakeside Manor Care Home –Saltcoats, Centennial Special Care Home- Esterhazy
The decision to restrict family presence is not taken lightly. These measures are in place to keep residents, patients, visitors and health care workers safe. The Saskatchewan Health Authority is asking the public for support and co-operation in order to contain the spread of the virus.
Compassionate care reasons may include, but are not limited to: family or support persons during end-of-life care, major surgery, intensive care/critical care, maternal/pediatrics, long-term care residents whose quality of life or care needs are unmet or those inpatients and outpatients with specific challenges.
No other visitors are allowed into the specified facilities or homes at this time and these limitations will remain in place until it is safe to return to the previous level of family presence.
Family members and support people who are permitted must undergo a health screening prior to entering the facility or home. This includes a temperature check and questionnaire. The family member or support person will be required to perform hand hygiene (hand washing and/or use of hand sanitizer) when entering and leaving the facility or home and when entering and leaving the patient's or resident’s room. Family members and support people will be required to wear a medical grade mask while inside the facility or home and potentially additional personal protective equipment if required. Family members and support people are not permitted to wait in waiting rooms or other common areas.
Detailed information about family presence during COVID-19 can be found at saskatchewan.ca/covid19.
How to avoid getting sick:
- Keep at least two metres away from others when in public and wear a mask when that’s not possible.
- Limit gatherings to the numbers specified in public health orders.
- Wash hands often with soap and water; if soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Area residents are urged to recognize the symptoms, stay home if the symptoms emerge and self-monitor. Symptoms include: fever, cough, headache, muscle and/or joint aches and pains, sore throat, chills, runny nose, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, dizziness, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite (difficulty feeding for children), loss of sense of taste or smell, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
COVID-19 is in Saskatchewan: Residents are urged to follow all public health recommendations and help to stop the spread. COVID-19 is transmitted through coughing and sneezing (droplet transmission), and by touching surfaces with the virus on it and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes before hand washing. Every day more is learned about COVID-19 and other ways it may be transmitted.
An online self-assessment is available at Saskatchewan.ca/COVID19 to determine if a person should be tested. Testing is universally available to anyone who requests it, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. Please note that in accordance with the latest expert advice on COVID-19, testing for symptomatic people may be delayed until their symptoms have been present for 48 hours to minimize the number of false negative tests. Call HealthLine 811 or a physician for a referral.
Anyone at any age can contract COVID-19, so follow the recommended practices.
COVID-19 Alert APP: The Health Canada COVID Alert app is available to all Saskatchewan residents at no cost in the Apple and Google Play app store. The app is another tool available to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 by letting people know of possible exposures without sharing any personal information. For more information, visit the COVID-19 Apps webpage.
