The provincial seniors advocate says she believes B.C. care homes are properly equipped to protect residents from outbreaks of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The World Health Organization has said elderly people and those with pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes are more likely to develop a serious illness if they are diagnosed with COVID-19.
But to date, there have been no cases of coronavirus in any of B.C.sa国际传媒檚 294 long-term care homes. Seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie expressed confidence in facilities to manage the virus.
sa国际传媒淐are homes are accustomed to these types of outbreaks,sa国际传媒� said Mackenzie. sa国际传媒淎n outbreak of influenza, pneumonia or norovirus are all frankly equally as serious as an outbreak of COVID-19 would be in a care home, and we handle those outbreaks.sa国际传媒�
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Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and health minister Adrian Dix said Thursday there are . One of those cases is after returning from a trip to India.
In an update Friday, Dix said over 2,000 people in B.C. have been tested for the virus.
Mackenzie said families shouldnsa国际传媒檛 be concerned about loved ones in care. Controls, Mackenzie said, are in place to limit or prevent the spread of coronavirus among senior residents.
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sa国际传媒淚 think perspective is important,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭here has been no reason to think anything other than we are handling this as best we can. I know theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of people running around saying we arensa国际传媒檛 prepared for a pandemic, go stock up on toilet paper and cans of beans. I think we need to be careful here and we need to look at the facts and perspective.sa国际传媒�
That perspective might need to include use of medical supplies.
On Monday, the World Health Organization warned of such as gloves, aprons and masks.
SafeCare BC is a non-profit association focused on safe working conditions for continuing care givers. The organizationsa国际传媒檚 CEO, Jennifer Lyle, said she is concerned about the equipment supply chain and, if shortages begin to affect Canada, the health of care givers.
sa国际传媒淚n B.C., if you are a healthy individual and you are just going about your day in the community, you do not need a surgical mask,sa国际传媒� said Lyle. sa国际传媒淲e really need to be asking ourselves some hard questions about if you are using a mask and you may not necessarily need it, who are we taking that mask away from?sa国际传媒�
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