New measures intended to protect long-term care home residents will be coming back into place in Ontario, reports The Toronto Sun.
The Ford government has announced that all staff, volunteers, and caregivers, including those that are fully vaccinated, will be tested twice per week.
The rules say that all visitors or support workers entering long-term care homes will also need to be tested before entering. Those visitors who are not vaccinated will not be able to enter.
New measures, says Rod Phillips, are being brought into place as a precaution to the Omicron variant, which has become the majority variant for new cases several African countries, as well as the United Kingdom.
“Our priority is to protect long-term care residents from COVID-19,” said Long-Term Care Minister Rod Phillips during a Tuesday interview.
“Based on the rising rate of community infection and the emerging threat of the Omicron variant, we are immediately implementing further measures to protect our most vulnerable.”
Changes will also be made as to when a resident can leave, how they socialize, and who can enter their home. Overnight absences from homes will not be permitted, and only fully-vaccinated residents can go for day trips.
Any new caregivers must be fully vaccinated to enter long-term care facilities. Current caregivers must be vaccinated by Dec. 20, and double vaccinated by Feb 21.
Residents will be allowed up to two visitors or caregivers indoors, while outdoors that number increases to four.
