COVID-19

Starting April 1, changes are on the way for Alberta when it comes to COVID isolation and quarantine as the time-based suggestion for COVID-19 isolation is being removed. The province is recommending that individuals stay at home until they feel better.

Here are the new recommendations by the provincial government:

If you have respiratory virus symptoms or test positive for any respiratory illness you should stay home until your symptoms have improved and you feel better, to minimize the risk of transmission.

In consultation with the Northwestern Health Unit, visitor restrictions are returning to normal at Kenora’s Pinecrest Home for the Aged after their most recent COVID-19 outbreak.

The outbreak was first reported on January 4 after three residents tested positive for the illness. It grew to eight residents by January 9, with the majority of affected residents in Unit #3 and one resident in Unit #2.

The COVID-19 outbreak at Kenora’s Pinecrest Home for the Aged is still in effect and has grown from three to eight residents.

The outbreak was first reported on January 4 after three residents tested positive.

Now, Assistant Administrator Michelle Spencer says the outbreak has grown to eight residents as of January 9, with one of the positive residents located in Unit 2 – which is not in an outbreak.

With support from the Northwestern Health Unit – the Lake of the Woods District Hospital says their most recent COVID-19 outbreak in Unit 3E has finished.

The COVID-19 outbreak in Unit 3E was first reported on December 22 and was in effect for just over two weeks. It was the hospital’s fifth outbreak of 2022.

Leadership is reminding the public that COVID-19, influenza, gastrointestinal illness and RSV are all continuing to circulate in the region, and residents are reminded to stay home if they’re sick or if they’ve spent time with someone who is unwell.

Residents within Kenora’s Pinecrest Home for the Aged are facing another COVID-19 outbreak.

Assistant Administrator Michelle Spencer says Unit #3 declared an outbreak of the illness after three residents tested positive on January 4, with support from the Northwestern Health Unit.

As a result, visitor restrictions are as follows for Unit #3 residents:

Leadership with Kenora’s Pinecrest Home for the Aged says after consultations with the Northwestern Health Unit, their COVID-19 outbreak status and associated restrictions are expected to continue until December 30 at least.

The COVID-19 outbreak was reported on December 10 as two residents tested positive for the illness.

The Ontario government is investing over $870,000 to support staff and patients at the Dryden Regional Health Centre with critical upgrades and extra funding to keep costs under control.

The Northwestern Health Unit says residents between the ages of 5 and 11 won’t be able to receive their dose of the new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine until the new year.

The Ontario government announced earlier this week that doses of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, which targets specific strains of the illness, would be available for all Ontarians over the age of 5 as of December 21.

Kenora’s Pinecrest Home for the Aged is reporting its sixth COVID-19 outbreak of the year.

On December 10, the Northwestern Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak in Pinecrest’s Unit #1, with two residents who have tested positive.

As a result, visitor restrictions are as follows in Unit #1:

- One essential caregiver for positive residents, unless otherwise approved,
- Two essential caregivers for remaining residents, unless otherwise approved,
- No designated caregiver under the age of 18,
- No general visitors,

Ontario’s pharmacies will now be able to prescribe an anti-viral COVID-19 treatment.

As of today, pharmacies in Ontario are able to prescribe Pfizer’s Paxlovid to eligible individuals in-person or virtually, at no cost – if you’re within 5 days of having COVID-19 symptoms with a positive PCR or rapid antigen test.