Health Authority Tightens Rules In Its Facilities

Last week it was nursing home staff who would face mandatory screening before each shift and starting today all staff in certain areas of Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) facilties will be masking up as well as being screened for illness no exceptions. The proactive measures and precautions are to combat COVID-19 and ensure safety in SHA facilities.

Starting today, staff, physicians, learners, trainees, vendors and contractors will be screened daily as they enter any SHA facility or program area to ensure they do not have any influenza like illness.  As an added level of protection all staff and physicians who work in patient/client/resident care areas or travel through those areas will be wearing a mask at all times.  These measures are being put in place to protect everyone from exposure to, and spread of COVID-19.

“Safety is our top priority,” Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone said in a statement.  “That is why we continue to escalate our efforts to protect our patients and health care providers.  Requiring these daily screening practices and adapting our approach to masking will help us stop the spread of COVID-19 and help protect our workforce to ensure our health care services are there when needed.”

The implementation of screening measures will be phased in throughout the SHA facilities including long-term care facilities and programs, including long-term care facilities, hospitals, primary care sites, as well as affiliates working toward a standard of daily screening and temperature checks twice daily consistent with self-monitoring and the most recent health Canada guidelines.