To: Place Beauséjour Users
The Board of Directors of Place Beauséjour have recently assessed the rapidly developing Covid-19 situation in the context of Place Beauséjour and its residents. As such, the board have made the following recommendations and action plans intended to assist in the prevention of this virus spreading into Place Beauséjour.
These are based on the principles of education and behavioral changes as guided by the requisite Health Authorities that have jurisdiction in Beaumont, Alberta, Canada.
The PBLLS Board of Directors encourage you as users of the Place Beauséjour facilities to follow the recommendations set forth in this notice.
- Adhere to the Health Authorities personal hygiene protocols – proper and frequent hand washing; respiratory etiquette (sneeze/cough into your elbow), avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; refrain from directly touching common touch points where the virus could reside and any other new protocols that emerge
- Adhere to the Health Authorities social gathering and distancing protocols – in small social gatherings maintain as much separation as possible between participants (e.g. 6 feet)
- For larger gatherings, given the social space to be used, such gatherings should be postponed until the Authorities recommend otherwise.
- If you present with symptoms please cancel your planned sessions, notify residents affected by the cancellation and follow the Health Authorities response protocol, starting with calling AHS Healthlink – 811 and follow their instructions
- If you have been recently traveling outside Canada, check with Health Authorities on the date of your return to determine if the Self Isolation protocol applies to you. (Return travel as of March 1 2020 or later, likely means you need to Self-Isolate). If it does, adhere to the 14 day self-isolation period, cancel your scheduled sessions and notify affected Residents accordingly.
For Visitors and Third-Party Facility Users
- Please refresh your knowledge of our expectations by viewing the Posters that will be placed at entrances and other pertinent spots to help educate and create expectations for all visitors to Place Beauséjour.
Sincerely,
Darcy Wiltse
Board Chair
780-975-1598
COVID-19: What you need to know
Step One: Get Informed
Please if nothing else, do not rely on things you see on social media (ex- Facebook) to find out the “facts” about this illness. Information from trusted sources, for example the World Health Organization (who.int) or Center for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) will provide far more helpful information than what you will find in social media platforms. All information from this briefing was obtained from the World Health Organization website.
The Facts
What is a Coronavirus?
- A large family of viruses that may cause illness in animals or humans
- In humans, several of these viruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases.
- The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19
What are they symptoms of COVID-19?
- Most commonly fever, tiredness and dry cough
- Some may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea
- Some may become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell
- Most recover without needing special treatment
- Some however can become very ill and develop difficulty breathing. Older people and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness.
How is COVID-19 spread?
- People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus
- It is spread person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
- The virus left behind in these droplets can land on surfaces around the infected person and spread to others if contact is made with the infected surface then touching the eyes, nose or mouth before hand washing is performed
- It is recommended to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from someone who is sick
Simple precautions
- WASH YOUR HANDS- washing regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer kills viruses that may be on your hands
- Maintain your distance (1 meter) from anyone who is coughing or sneezing
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth
- Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. If using a tissue, place it in the garbage immediately after use and wash your hands following disposal.
- Stay away from others if you are feeling unwell. If you are unsure of how to manage your symptoms, please call Healthlink at 811 and your call will be directed as necessary. By calling Healthlink you will be directed how to best manage your illness and helps prevent the spread of viruses and other infections.
- Seek medical attention if you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
- Keep up with the latest COVID-19 updates and consider avoiding travel especially if you are older or have medical conditions like diabetes, and/or heart or lung disease
- Do not wear a mask if you are not currently experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. There is a shortage of masks and the most effective prevention remains as washing your hands, avoiding contact with eyes, nose, mouth and keeping distance from those coughing or sneezing around you
- It is unclear how long COVID-19 can survive on hard surfaces (could be hours to days). Use a simple disinfectant to wipe down areas if you suspect or are concerned about exposure to COVID-19. Continue to regularly clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer and avoid contact with your eyes, nose and mouth.
Recent travel (last 14 days) to areas COVID-19 is spreading
- Self-isolate by staying home if you begin to feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache, low grade fever (37.3 or above) and slightly runny nose, until you recover to help control the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses
- Call Healthlink at 811 for further instruction on how to manage your illness
- Have others deliver any necessary supplies to avoid unnecessary exposure to others
Continue to stay informed on updates from the WHO and CDC as more information becomes available.
