DARIUS SHAHHEYDARI
SHAWVILLE March 11, 2020
Quebec has confirmed just three cases of the Coronavirus in the province, as of March 9. Nationwide, that number is 62.
Those who believe they may be experiencing symptoms related to the virus are encouraged to call 811.
This number is a health . . .
information service available 24/7 for residents in Quebec. The representative on the other end takes some personal information from the caller and asks to describe their symptoms, suggesting where the caller should go for help, if anywhere.
At the Pontiac Hospital, Assistant director Nicole Chaput and nursing manager Natalie Romin gave information on how the hospital is prepared for the outbreak.
Once a suspected patient walks in, they are screened and asked if they have a cough or a fever, which was always a protocol. Now in the wake of the outbreak, however, they also ask if the patient has travelled and where they have been.
If the caller is referred to seek medical help, the hospital is made aware that this person is coming in, allowing them to prepare to isolate that patient
They would take that patient to an isolation room in the emergency section of the hospital.
Some may be taken to a positive pressure chamber, which confines the virus more than the regular pressure in the atmosphere.
The infection control nurse has all the procedures that everybody should follow. The protocol for all infectious diseases is similar – the only difference is the questions asked by the nurses.
Everybody in the department has this procedure. This includes those working on the floor and in the operating room.
Respiratory technicians have also ordered extra equipment as a precaution. When dealing with the patient, Hospital staff need to wear a more “upgraded” gown, compared to the regular isolation gown. They would still be wearing their regular masks, called the N95, but with different isolation precautions.
There have been no reports of potential virus-bearers in the Pontiac region so far.
