Program helps control COVID-19 in long-term care
Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA’s) Test to Protect Program has been instrumental in the early identification and management of COVID-19 in long-term care, says Allison DeCoste, manager of Program Services with Continuing Care.
“The program has resulted in early detection which has been essential in outbreak prevention and decreasing the risk of COVID-19 spread among vulnerable populations,” she said. “Early identification of asymptomatic COVID-positive individuals allows for earlier isolation which decreases the risk of exposure to others.”
The program consists of access to frequent on-site rapid antigen testing for residents, clients, patients, family members and visitors as well as routine at-home rapid-antigen testing for health-care staff, their immediate family and for family members/essential care partners who frequent the home. Ideally, everyone – whether they live or work in a long-term care home – tests or is tested two to three times per week. The aim is to support healthy living and working environments through the early detection of COVID-19 and the prevention of outbreaks in health care facilities. This initiative is part of the broader Self-test, Self-manage, Self-isolate strategy which supports staff, families and residents in working together to ensure a safer long-term care environment.
“We’ve had so many stories where someone said, ‘I tested positive; I’m asymptomatic. I isolated and my family and the people I work with and care for were prevented from contracting COVID from me,’” said DeCoste.
Test to Protect started as a pilot in March 2021 at a handful of sites and is now established at all SHA long-term care homes and affiliates.
More than 22,000 test kits have been distributed to health-care workers and approximately 33,000 employees have completed the self-test training. More than two million tests have been performed at long-term care/congregate living sites. Additionally, 2,140 kits have been distributed to family members/essential care partners.
Several families of care home residents have expressed their appreciation for the program.
Said one daughter of a resident, “I test because I love my mom and my sister very much and I want to protect them and the other residents.”
Said another, “I feel that we should do everything possible to stop the spread of COVID and if a simple 15-minute test can do that … then who could say no to this test.”
