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Current situation
Today, April 28, Nova Scotia is reporting three additional deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total to 27. The deaths occurred at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax Regional Municipality. Fifteen new cases were identified Monday, April 27. Read the full release here. The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 483 Nova Scotia tests on April 27 and is operating 24 hours a day.
There are 10 licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors’ facilities in Nova Scotia with cases of COVID-19, involving 218 residents and 95 staff.
To date, Nova Scotia has 26,902 negative test results and 915 positive COVID-19 test results. Test results are updated daily here. Confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90. Twelve individuals are currently in hospital, three of those in ICU. Five-hundred and twenty-two individuals have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province. A map and graphic presentation of the case data is available at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/data.
Our response
Assessment Centres – patient Information
Handouts for people being seen at the assessment centres have been updated on the COVID-19 Hub site. Please make sure you are using the current versions of handouts (noted below). This helps address questions that are commonly being raised after testing.
The main page for COVID-19 Primary Assessment has the following handouts under Patient Information:
Patient Info: COVID-19 Information Regarding Self-Isolation – double-sided handout for anyone who is tested
Self-Isolation Handout – additional information about self-isolation
NSHA, government, psychologists collaborate to enhance support for people affected by tragedy
The Association of Psychologists of NS (APNS), Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness and Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) are collaborating to increase support to Nova Scotians impacted by the tragic events of April 18 and 19. A roster of psychologists across Nova Scotia is offering a free service called Psychological Support Session. People distressed by the tragic events have access to a session to talk about difficulties they define as impacting their mental wellness, and ways of coping. This free-of-charge service starts Wednesday, April 29. Read the full release here.
Video messages and resources on bereavement, grief and wellness
Click here to watch a message from Zach Higgins, Community Outreach Worker with the Schools Plus program, Chignecto Central Regional Centre for Education (CCRCE).
N95 collection in targeted areas only at this time
NSHA Supply Chain is closely monitoring supplies to ensure they are available when they’re needed. This includes the supplies needed to collect, store and reprocess N95s if needed in the future. At this time, NSHA is focusing N95 collection efforts in targeted areas only:
Designated COVID-19 inpatient units
ICUs
Regional emergency departments
Operating rooms
If your area is not on this list of targeted units but you are using N95s daily, please contact Suzanne Rhodenizer-Rose @email or Chris Smith @email. A small working group is working through plans for collection, pick-up and storage of used N95 respirators. Used N95s in these areas can be stored in ventilated boxes until retrieved by MDR staff or designates. Targeted units should order storage boxes through their regular stock ordering processes. Leaders of targeted areas have been provided the SAP number for these boxes.
Occupational Health/People Services
Employee and leader supports
Care for Caregiver
As a reminder of the leadership and wellness supports available to you, the weekly Care for the Caregiver newsletter, issued on Tuesdays, provides opportunities and resources to check in on your personal and emotional well-being during these uncertain times. Included within the newsletter this week are NEW offerings, as well as, Featured Resources to support parents and at-home caregivers. Print and post the newsletter in your area for maximum accessibility. Please find the newsletter here.
Grocery program – Loblaw PC Express priority ordering and pick upservice
These unprecedented times are evolving very quickly, with new changes and new announcements daily. Loblaw (Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart, etc.) has reached out to help support healthcare workers at the front lines of this pandemic during a period of significant stress and concern. They have developed a PC Express pick up service with dedicated time slots available for you and your immediate family to help make things a little easier for you and your loved ones at this time.
If you would like to sign-up for this service, please email Loblaw @email from your NSHA email address to confirm your desire to register. Please note: At this time, Loblaw only requires your NSHA email address to verify your eligibility for this exclusive service. No additional information is required. Once confirmation of your interest has been received by Loblaw, they will email you with instructions on how to register for this service on PC Express, and how to access these priority timeslots.
Fast track auto claims service for healthcare workers - Johnson Insurance
As one of Canada’s leading insurance providers for healthcare professionals, Johnson Insurance wants to show healthcare members that in their greatest time of need, they have your back. To show their appreciation and gratitude for the hard work and selflessness, Johnson Insurance has recently launched a Healthcare Workers First initiative. This initiative will put healthcare professionals at the front of the line to receive fast track auto claims services, meaning their claims service team will prioritize the processing of auto claims for members of our Healthcare and Allied Healthcare groups. To learn more about this initiative, please visit (johnson.ca/thankyou)
Johnson has launched TV commercials to show their support for healthcare workers and their inspiring efforts throughout the past number of weeks. To view their healthcare commercials, please refer to YouTube.
New/updated guidance documents and resources
- COVID-19 Primary Assessment Chart - Drive Through Testing (New: April 28)
- COVID-19 Protocols for Oncology (Updated: April 28)
- Pre-Appointment Screen Script- Oncology (Updated: April 28)
- COVID-19 Oncology Patient Priority Stratification (New: April 28)
- COVID-19 Oncology Phone Call Quick Reference Guide (Updated: April 28)
- COVID-19 Oncology Ambulatory Care Clinic Reference Guide(Updated: April 28)
- 2SLGTQIA+ COVID-19 Resource Guide (Updated: April 28)
- Care for the Caregiver Newsletter (Updated: April 28)
- COVID-19 Oncology Ambulatory Care Process Map (Updated: April 28)
- Pre-Appointment Screening for Adult Oncology Patients Documentation (Updated: April 28)
- Cervical Cancer Prevention Program and Colposcopy Service During COVID-19 (Updated: April 28)
- Memo - Acute Oxygen Therapy for Nursing Home Residents with COVID-19 (New: April 28)
- Acute Oxygen Therapy for Nursing Home Residents with COVID-19(New: April 28)
- Primary Assessment Centres Contact/Location Information(Updated: April 28)
- FAQs Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Information for Continuing Care Sector (New: April 28)
- Recommendations - Use of CPAP or BiPAP Therapy in LTC (New: April 28)
- Referral Form Instructions -In-home Primary Assessments for COVID-19 (New: April 28)
- Clinical Pathway - Intake for In-home Primary Assessment for COVID-19 (New: April 28)
- In- home Primary Assessment for COVID-19 - Associated Document Package (New: April 28)
- Memo - In-home Primary Assessment for COVID-19 (New: April 28)
- Referral Process - In-home Primary Assessments for COVID-19(New: April 28)
- Order Set - Patient Admission - Adult (Updated: April 28)
- Community/Facility Cluster - Information for Primary Health Care Providers (New: April 28)
- Clinical Pathway - QEII COVID-19 Inpatient Flow (Updated: April 28)
- COVID-19 Assessment Chart - Primary Assessment Centre(Updated: April 28)
- COVID-19 Risk Assessment - All NSHA Patients (Updated: April 28)
- Family Practice COVID-19 Screening Guide (Updated: April 28)