Seniors group CanAge says it is concerned about the spate of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreaks in India. long term care homes across Ontario.
The group says that RSV outbreaks have been reported in places such as Guelph, the Niagara region and Kitchener-Waterloo, while other areas are reporting “undefined” respiratory outbreaks.
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“RSV mainly presents to children as a cold, but for older people – especially those in long-term care – it can be fatal.”
Laura Tamblyn-Watts, CanAge’s CEO, says that in many cases homes aren’t specifically testing for RSV, and that needs to change.
“We are asking (the provincial government) to do the proper testing and provide that data in a centralized format.”
Also, Tamblyn-Watts says the government should reinstate so-called isolation beds that were used in long-term care homes during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Tamblyn-Watts, earlier this year the province got rid of isolation beds to increase the number of beds in long-term care.
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She says the atmosphere in the long-term care sector feels like a “triple-demic” with cases of the flu, COVID-19 and RSV having the potential to “run rampant” in those homes.
Still, Tamblyn-Watts says people should still visit friends and family who are living in long-term care over the holidays, except for those who are sick, who should stay home.
“You’re bringing with you, epidemiologically with you, everybody you’ve seen in the last two to eight days.”
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