Letting your guard down could be dangerous – what to do about Omicron

As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is now transmitting in the community in British Columbia, we are reminded to be VIGILANT in our layers of protection for the sake of the Menno Place resident that you love, their neighbours and the staff.

Omicron is a new variant and a highly transmittable virus. Dr. Bonnie Henry, our Provincial Health Officer reminds us that we need to do the measures that we know work in reducing the spread of the virus and keeping ourselves safe. Although the initial perspective on this virus is that it is milder, Dr. Henry says that “milder” still means very, very sick – just not hospitalized at this point.

At this point, safe visits continue for residents in long-term care and assisted living in the Fraser Health region. We see on the news that visits to residents in long-term care are again being restricted in Ontario and Quebec where cases of COVID are increasing rapidly. We know how devastating these lockdowns are to the residents, so we are reminding all visitors of the need to be safe not only during your visit, but throughout your daily activities that lead up to your visit and are where you are most likely to be exposed to this virus.

It is important to keep yourself safe from this virus if you plan to visit a loved one at Menno Place. Here’s what you can do:

1. Physical Distancing – it’s still 6 feet – this means that you remain 6 feet from others, even when everyone is wearing a mask. This includes during your visit and when you are out and about living your life. Stay 6 feet away from other residents and from the staff in the building.  Practice this in public places like stores and restaurants. This is not happening in most stores or churches, so you’ll stand out. Be ok with this. Be as vigilant as you can with this. Be aware and make the choice to avoid large groups during this time, if possible. Shop online, get takeout, watch church online. Stay 6 feet apart from each others in your workplace, especially when masks are off for eating or drinking. Do this for your loved one who is vulnerable.
2. Wearing your mask – always and properly – Menno Place provides medical masks for visits- please use them as you’ve been instructed: pinch tight on the top of your nose, do not wear them under your chin, get a new mask when dirty or after you’ve taken them off, ask to take a medical mask home to wear when you are in public (we know that they are better than cloth). In the Terrace East outbreak we saw no transmission to the staff – this includes the dietary staff who were serving the COVID positive index case several meals. It also includes the housekeeping and care staff who provided care and services to the COVID positive residents. We know that mask wearing and hand hygiene were key to this success. Masks work! If you are visiting a loved one at Menno Place, wear your mask vigilantly in your own life. If your workplace does not have mandatory masking, make it your own practice anyway. Omicron is so contagious that you really do need EVERY layer of protection. Wearing a mask may not fit the culture of your workplace and you may be counter-cultural. Do it for your loved one who is vulnerable.
3. Hand hygiene – very often – Be very conscientious about this. Sanitize often and when you don’t even think you need to. Sanitize at the entrance to any building (including stores and churches) and again when you leave the building. Carry sanitizer with you. Sanitize before touching your loved one at your visit. Wash hands for the full 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday twice) with soap and warm water after using the toilet. Take your time to sanitize. Encourage everyone in your family to practice hand hygiene. Put sanitizer at your home entrance and use it. Encourage your family members and guests to be in the habit of sanitizing before touching anything in your home. Do it for your loved one who is vulnerable.
4. Rapid Testing – an added layer of detection – the rapid tests are available through Visitation Hosts and Receptionists. They are key to preventing transmission among our residents and the staff. They are simple and painless. You simply run a Q-tip around the interior of your nostrils and follow a few steps to test the fluids. They take a full 10 minutes to get the results. Come early for your visit and take the time. It will save your loved one and many others the hardship of droplet precautions, enhanced monitoring or outbreak if we catch a COVID positive BEFORE a visitor enters the area where residents live. This Omicron is HIGHLY contagious. You may be doing everything safely and STILL get COVID. Do this test for your loved one, their community and the staff.
5. Vaccination – get every shot – We know that vaccination protects us from this virus. Get all the shots as soon as you can. Booster shots will be available mid-January 2022 in pharmacies across BC. Go right away to get your booster! https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021HLTH0226-002396
6. Symptom Monitoring – key to keeping others safe – if you have ANY symptoms of COVID, head to your COVID testing location and have a PCR test done. You need to be certain that you do not have COVID before entering Menno Place. It could be that you have the flu, but you HAVE TO KNOW for sure before coming for a visit.
7. Get your flu shot – it’s available at many pharmacies – The flu shot will not protect against COVID-19, but it will help reduce your risk of getting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Having both illnesses at the same time could put you at a higher risk for severe complications.

Exhaustion: We are all exhausted, both mentally and physically, from this pandemic. Our hearts sank to hear of a COVID positive and Enhanced Monitoring in Menno Hospital E1. Here we go… again…

We each have tools to fight this virus: We fight this virus with our vigilance and layers of protection. We each do our part. We can do it. We have done it. We can do it again.

Let’s keep Menno Place safe: Public Health experts are telling us that January 2022 could be the worst wave of this pandemic. We need to dig deep to find the motivation and resolve to do all that we can, each one of us, to keep January 2022 from being the worst at Menno Place.

You are amazing: Thank you for all you HAVE done and all you ARE doing. Your presence as loved ones and visitors is SO APPRECIATED! We need you, we love you, we know you are central to the happiness of the residents we love and serve.

Blessings to you on this day and in this season as you prepare your hearts and homes for Christmas.

The Executive Team at Menno Place