Cumming School of Medicine
Update on Alberta cases of COVID-19Email from AHS, March 9, 2020.Dear staff, physicians and volunteers,?As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, all of our teams at AHS are increasingly being tasked with rapid response and additional efforts.? I’m so proud of the AHS response. The efficiency and collaboration across our teams exemplifies our commitment to Albertans and the health of our communities.?I also recognize that this situation is intense and rapidly evolving.? I am committed to continuing to provide you with updates, and also encourage you to keep yourself familiar with the evolving situation.? The best place for staff to access up to date information about COVID-19 is?Insite?and?ahs.ca/covid. You can also sign up for alerts on Insite to ensure you have the latest updates.?Cases and global outlookToday, Alberta Health announced three new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Alberta to seven. These new cases are either a close contact of already known cases or travel-related, with infected individuals returning from known impacted areas from outside of Canada.?All cases continue to be in isolation at home, being monitored by our public health teams. Investigations continue to identify all close contacts of these cases for testing as an important part of our response to this outbreak.?The risk remains low in Alberta, but we are seeing the risk increase worldwide. We continue to see more cases in more countries around the world and it is likely we will be dealing with the virus worldwide for many months.?COVID-19 does not travel through the air over long distance or times; however, it can spread person-to-person by larger droplets, like from a cough or sneeze, or by touching contaminated objects or surfaces, then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. With this, it is not surprising that we will see some cases related to close contacts. The goal is to continue to identify close contacts and catch new cases before they have a chance to spread.???AHS responseIn addition to activating our Zone Emergency Operations Centres (ZEOCs), Assessment Centres are now up and running in both Calgary and Edmonton Zones.?These Assessment Centres allow symptomatic individuals to receive testing at the direction of Health Link. These sites are not open to general public drop-in, without referral, but are to be used by our teams to help control the demand for testing, while ensuring the safety of the public and healthcare workers.??Planning for Assessment Centres in other zones is complete, and additional centres will open as needed.?Workplace Health & SafetyWe cannot emphasize enough the critical role of healthcare providers not only in treating ill individuals, but in helping to reduce spread of illness. We strongly encourage you to review the?Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)?webpage and additional resources such as:?????????Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)????????Routine Practices?for all patients at all times????????Point of Care Risk Assessment????????ILI algorithm to be followed when assessing patients who present with an influenza-like illness????????IPC Recommendations for COVID-19?????It’s important to remember that while the risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19 is higher than with influenza, you can still protect yourself, your family, our patients, and those who are vulnerable in our communities by using?the same?practices recommended for protecting against all respiratory illnesses:?Wash your hands often and wellAvoid touching your face, nose, or mouth with unwashed handsUse elbow bumps or waves instead of handshakes to greetAvoid close contact with people who are sickClean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touchedStay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill (especially postponing visits to friends or family in hospitals or long term care facilities)When sick, cover your cough and sneezes and then wash your handsCall Health Link, at 811 if you are concerned about your symptoms or believe you may be at risk.There is currently no vaccine for this virus, so by protecting ourselves we are helping to protect others.?Further, if you have recently returned to Canada (within 14 days) and have fever or respiratory symptoms, or if you believe you may be at risk for COVID-19 for any reason and you are ill, please contact?Workplace Health & Safety, 24/7 at 1-855-450-3619. Please be aware that Workplace Health and Safety is experiencing high call volumes and we appreciate your patience.?Support in times of stressThe evolving situation with COVID-19 can add pressure and increase concern, and it is very important that we remember to take care of ourselves.? All employees can access our?Employee and Family Assistance Program?for services that can help them through difficult times. ?This free, flexible, and confidential service can be accessed 24/7 at 1-877-273-3134.?If you are concerned about the health of a loved one, please call Health Link at 811.?Your safety is of the utmost importance to us. We will continue to keep you updated on any developments with the situation in Alberta so you are informed and prepared.?Thank you for your help in managing this situation, and protecting the health of those most at risk in our communities.?Sincerely,?Dr. Laura McDougallSenior Medical Officer of Health ................
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