TORONTO — It’s business as usual at Baycrest despite concerns about a swine flu pandemic said Chingiz Amirov, the geriatric centre’s director of prevention and control.
They are monitoring the situation closely, and they are in communication with their partners at Toronto Public Health and Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network, the group of teaching hospitals of which Baycrest is a member, he said.
“Our approach, and that of all GTA hospitals and healthcare agencies, is enhanced surveillance of symptoms and rigorous adherence to the precautions we use as part of our normal practice.”
He said that staff is reminding residents and visitors to wash their hands and practise “respiratory etiquette. We are also increasing our signage at the entrances, which reminds people not to come in if they are sick. We’re asking for people to stay home if they have any flu-like symptoms.”
All this is nothing out of the usual, he said. “We have a gastroenteritis outbreak right now, but that has nothing to do with the swine flu. Outbreaks such as this one happen at every facility.”
The centre has a comprehensive pandemic plan to address every level of the outbreak situation, he said.
At Terrace Gardens Retirement Residence on Bathurst Street, they are asking residents to stay in the building as much as possible, said Josie Canda, a registered practical nurse.
“They get sick very easily, and we don’t want them to pick up anything.”
Other than that, she said, they are not taking any out-of-the-ordinary precautions. “We always encourage people to use hand sanitizers before and after a visit, and stay away if they feel sick.”
