Ontario Long-Term Care Experiencing Staff Shortages Due to Omicron
Ontario Long Term Care Association's CEO, Donna Duncan, said that an estimated 20 to 30 per cent of staff are off work right now due to the pandemic. “We are seeing more waves of staff leaving and staff coming back, so it’s not a big hit all at once, it is more of a rolling impact we are finding more manageable at this time.” Duncan also noted that changes like vaccines have made things more manageable for staff.
Experts Say Canada Is Headed for a Severe Nursing Shortage
Advocates for the nursing sector are sounding the alarm of an impending “public health crisis” as surging rates of Omicron across the country stretch already limited staff to breaking point. The warning comes as Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced several new COVID-19 public health measures to contain the spread of the variant.
The Flu, a Cold or COVID-19? Doctors say with symptoms overlapping, it’s impossible to tell
Tens of thousands of Canadians across the country are being hit with the flu, a cold or COVID-19, and with many symptoms overlapping, coupled with a lack of availability of COVID tests, it’s almost impossible to tell what they could be ailing from, doctors say. The advice for anyone who is feeling ill is to assume they’ve been infected with COVID-19, even if they cannot be tested for the virus.
Since COVID-19 Testing Can Be Hard to Find Experts Explain What You Should Do if You Have Symptoms
Canadians are struggling to get tested for COVID-19. An epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Ottawa explains that tests are might be reserved for healthcare workers or people who need them for clinical diagnostic purposes. “If you’ve got symptoms, we ask you to stay home and isolate until they abate,” he said. Another expert said that “you may need to reach out and go for a visit to an urgent care clinic, perhaps, or an emergency department if that gets very severe.”
Happy Holidays!
From our family to yours, we want to wish you a very happy holidays! We want to thank you for your support as we continue to grow, and are so excited for what's in store for 2022. See you in the new year! Click View Article to watch our holiday video from the Caring Support team.
COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters Available for Ontarians Starting Monday
All eligible adults in Ontario can book COVID-19 booster shots starting Monday, December 20, as part of an accelerated rollout of third doses that will be the centrepiece of the province’s response to the highly infectious Omicron variant. Eligibility for boosters was shortened from six months to three months — or 84 days — from a person’s second vaccine dose. That time frame will apply to all newly eligible people 18 or older.