News

Protecting Clients - Changes to Visiting at St. Joseph's Care Group Sites

Date: 2021-12-20

St. Joseph’s Care Group is making changes to visiting at all of our sites intended to slow transmission of COVID-19 and the highly transmissible Omicron variant. We are calling on you as family and loved ones to help us keep clients and staff safe.

We ask for your understanding and cooperation as visiting requirements can change without notice in response to the rapidly-evolving local and provincial circumstances.

General Information for Visitors

• Please postpone your visit if you are feeling unwell. Virtual visits are available by video or telephone, and can be booked online or by calling your loved one’s site directly.
• All visitors must pass screening to enter SJCG sites. Screening may be done in-person or can be completed online.
• Visitors must clean their hands with sanitizer when:
• Entering
• Before and after putting on protective equipment
• As needed – eg: if hands become soiled or after touching common surfaces like door handles
• Visitors must wear the provided mask at all times while inside. Personal masks are not permitted.
• Only visit your loved one, and maintain a space of 2 metres from other clients.

Vaccination Requirements for Visitors

It is important to visit the COVID-19 Information section of our website to find the most current requirements prior to visiting St. Joseph’s Care Group’s sites as requirements can change without notice, and vary between sites.

All clients or their substitute decision maker have the ability to designate Caregivers (also known as Essential Visitors). Caregivers must provide proof of full vaccination* for COVID-19 by February 21, 2022. This means that individuals who have not provided proof of first dose administration or valid medical exemption by Wednesday, December 22, 2021  (or Monday, December 20, 2021 in Long-Term Care only per Minister’s Directive), will not be permitted to enter.

Effective Wednesday, December 22, 2021, all SJCG sites except long-term care will require General Visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This requirement came into effect on Thursday, December 16, 2021 in long-term care.

Travel Guidance for All Visitors

Mindful of the guidance issued by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit on travel outside Northwestern Ontario, the following precautions have been put in place for visitors at all sites:

Anyone who has traveled outside Northwestern Ontario but within Canada in the past 14 days must have a negative antigen test following travel to be permitted entry.

For International Travel, including to the United States within the past 14 days:

• Fully vaccinated individuals must participate in antigen testing every other day up to three times per week (Monday through Sunday);
• Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are not permitted to enter for 14 days following return from travel.
• Individuals who have been advised, or a member of their household has been advised, by the Government of Canada to quarantine, are not permitted to enter until the quarantine period has ended.

Note that antigen testing for SJCG visitors is provided free of charge at multiple clinics across the city of Thunder Bay.