COVID-19 Update from SLMHC – April 27, 2020

Proactive Surveillance Testing

Late last week, the Ontario government announced a proactive surveillance testing initiative to protect residents of long-term care homes across the province.   In alignment with this initiative, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre is implementing a plan to conduct COVID-19 tests on all residents and staff at the William A. George Extended Care Facility. We welcome you to review the full COVID-19 Action Plan for Protecting Long-Term Care Homes.

While we know that testing may create anxiety for some, we want to assure the public that we have not seen the virus in either of our facilities. When we look at the situation in many other long-term care homes across the world, we understand that we have been very fortunate thus far. For this, we would like to thank the public, as well as our staff and physicians, for following the strict precautions put in place in the early days of the pandemic to help prevent spread.

Visitor/Escort Restrictions and Additional Precautions

Visitor and escort restrictions remain in place at the hospital and the extended care facility.   We want to thank the public for their cooperation during this challenging time.

Thank You

On behalf of the SLMHC board of directors, management, staff and physicians we thank you for the significant support we are receiving. Along with the many donations of food and equipment, and emails and online posts in support of our team, we know that you have done your part to stay home as much as possible and followed Ontario’s social distancing guidelines.

As a hospital, we also wish to thank all the individual communities and local businesses who have enacted staying home, social distancing and other precautions to keep everyone safe. We are all in this together and our collective actions will help stop the spread.

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For Sioux Lookout residents who are concerned about symptoms of COVID-19, contact our Assessment Centre at 737-5880 to book an appointment, or call the Northwestern Health Unit’s COVID hotline at 1-866-468-2240 for advice.

To stay up to date on SLMHC activities during this pandemic, follow us on Facebook @menoyawin or visit our website at www.slmhc.on.ca.