Hand Hygiene Importance

Hello, Family/Guests of the Pines,

I want to take this time to wish you all Happy Holidays and let you know that we are working hard to keep your loved ones healthy this holiday season. To keep them healthy and safe we need your help as well. Please ensure that if you are feeling unwell you postpone your visit and that you wear a mask for 10 days with any visit after your symptoms start.

One of the biggest ways for you to ensure we keep the residents healthy is to wash our hands. As you can see from the graph compliance for family and guests coming into the home is down to thirty-six percent (36%). We need to increase this percentage. We need you to ensure you are using the Hand sanitizer coming into the home, when you are leaving, and when you are entering each home area. I have added a photo that represents hands that have been exposed to MRSA (picture on the left). As you can see the hand sanitizer eliminated it from the hands hence preventing the spread (picture on the right). This goes for all viruses and bacteria.

So please if you could ensure you are washing your hands we can ensure the residents continue to be healthy and safe.

I am pleased to let you know that we have completed our Influenza and COVID vaccine clinics. We have 85% of the residents vaccinated for influenza and 84% vaccinated for Covid. This is another way to boost protection against influenza and COVID.

I am looking forward to a great new year and I hope you all have a safe and healthy holiday.

Stephanie Albert, IPAC Lead

stephanie.albert@muskoka.on.ca