A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared on the fifth floor of the Joseph & Rosalie Segal Family Health Centre (Segal Centre) at Vancouver General Hospital after two clients tested positive for COVID-19.
The unit is closed to new admissions and transfers at this time. All non-essential visits to the Segal Centre have been suspended until the outbreak measures have been lifted; the exception being for compassionate visits at the end of life.
Vancouver Coastal Health has immediately implemented strict infection prevention and control protocols to prevent further transmission of COVID-19. These include:
Careful monitoring of patients, staff and physicians
Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch surfaces
Closing the units to patient admissions and transfers
Cohorting of staff to the affected areas
Self-monitoring or self-isolation of staff/physicians as part of Public Health contact tracing
Suspension of visitors to the unit (with exemptions for end-of-life situations)
Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy chief public health officer, announced on Thursday that the country had surpassed the 10 per cent mark of residents over 18 who have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says COVID-19 has placed extreme pressure on health-care systems across the country and Canadians need help urgently.
Deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, says the country has surpassed the 10 per cent mark of residents over 18 who have received at least one shot.
“The fact remains that this tax represents higher costs for millions of Canadian families and businesses, causing significant economic pain in exchange for no environmental gain."
Liberal House leader Pablo Rodriguez says it has long been a practice of Parliament for the buck to stop with cabinet ministers when it comes to who is held responsible and questioned at committee.
The committee is "actively reviewing evidence on the protection offered by one dose for those previously infected, and whether a second dose continues to be necessary," says a statement from the panel.
