COVID-19 Family & Visitor Bulletin: Risk Assessment Survey Results & Visiting Reminders

Changes to public health measures do not impact BSF COVID-19 Safe Visiting Policy

We take this opportunity once again to clarify some possible confusion surrounding the Government of Alberta’s changes to public health measures in the community.

The current changes and removal of public health measures in the community DO NOT impact BSF’s COVID-19 Safe Visiting Policy. Continuing Care Operators are still required to follow the Chief Medical Officer of Health Orders for Continuing Care. The easing of COVID-19 measures in Continuing Care is considered as part of Step 3 of Alberta’s ‘Path to Return to Normal.’ Until that time, all existing requirements remain in place in these settings.

For example:

• All staff, students, volunteers, service providers and visiting persons (including children aged 2 years and older) must continue to wear masks indoors in continuing care settings.
• Although the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) has been discontinued in the community, BSF still requires proof of immunization as part of BSF’s protocols for rapid testing based on immunization status on entry. Visitors should still be prepared to show their proof of immunization records, if applicable, as part of the screening and rapid testing process when entering our sites:
  • All persons that are fully immunized are required to complete a rapid test once every three days.
  • All persons that are not fully immunized (or do not show proof of immunization) are required to complete a rapid test daily.

Resident, Family, and Visitor COVID-19 Risk Assessment Survey Results

BSF is committed to reviewing our COVID-19 Safe Visiting Policy on an ongoing basis in response to our organizational risk assessment and in consultation with our residents and families. A Risk Assessment Survey was completed in February to gather updated risk assessment information from residents, families, and visitors in consideration of the current prevalence of COVID-19 and current changes to public health measures in the community. We are pleased to share a summary of these survey results with you now.

Summary of Survey Results (See Page 2 for Graphs of Results)

• 287 respondents completed the survey (21% residents and 79% family/visitors).
• Considering the current community prevalence but relatively low risk of severe outcomes to residents, the majority of respondents (64%) supported BSF maintaining the current restrictions.
• In an escalating outbreak situation at a Manor, 48% of respondents favored the same amount of restrictions, while 46% of respondents supported the introduction of more restrictions during a growing outbreak.
• When asked about BSF’s rapid testing protocols for visitors, 52% of respondents supported eliminating rapid testing for visitors that are fully immunized, and 86% of respondents supported continuing rapid testing for visitors that are not fully immunized.
• As the Government of Alberta reduces public health measures in the community (such as removing the Restrictions Exemption Program, changing mask requirements, etc.), the majority of respondents (70%) supported BSF waiting and maintaining our current approach and not making any changes to the visitation policy at this time.

As such, informed by the preferences of our residents and families, BSF will not be making any changes to our current COVID-19 Safe Visiting Policy at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation and will wait to re-evaluate making any changes to the current Visiting Policy after March 15, 2022, in consideration of the impacts of changing public health measures in the community. Any potential updates will be communicated at that time.

In the meantime, the full BSF COVID-19 Safe Visiting Policy is available at: www.theBSF.ca/covid19.