What is being done to help people at long term care facilities?  

On Wednesday April 15, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced an “all-out plan” to fight COVID-19 in long-term care homes, promising that “We will fortify the iron ring of protection around our long-term care residents and those who care for them.” The plan includes “COVID-19 SWAT teams, drawn from our hospitals, home care and public health care units to help homes manage outbreaks,” said Ford, as well as outbreak prevention work and a new order limiting LTC workers to one home at a time to prevent the spread of the virus.

Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton said that Ontario will start testing all symptomatic staff and residents as well as asymptomatic contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases in LTC homes. “We are working with public health units to assess risk for all homes, which is already underway as we speak,” said Fullerton.