Daryl Kramp, MPP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington announced Monday the Ontario Government is investing an additional $1,809,500 to increase prevention and containment efforts in long-term care homes in the H-L&A riding and the adjacent riding of Kingston and the Islands during the second wave of COVID-19.
Napanee’s Lennox and Addington County General Hospital will receive $16,400 in additional funding while the John M. Parrott Centre receives $462,900, Northbrook’s Pine Meadow Nursing Home receives $86,300 and Selby’s Village Green was granted $45.500.
“We are all well aware of the sterling record locally in our LTC homes but the Ontario Government recognizes that continuing vigilance and population protection requires additional measures and the funding to implement them,“ said Kramp in a release. “The Ontario Government will continue to fund efforts to keep residents and staff safe from COVID infections as we await delivery of sufficient supplies of vaccine to protect everyone in our local communities.”
The provincial government says the new funding will reduce the risk of the virus from entering long-term care homes from the community by covering eligible expenses related to:
- An immediate 24/7 health checkpoint to confirm staff and essential caregivers entering the building are properly screened for COVID-19 symptoms and potential exposure, and to continue screening residents on an ongoing basis to support early detection and containment of any new infections;
- Additional prevention and containment activities, such as hiring new staff to carry out the added workload for essential services and/or to replace workers who are sick or in isolation;
- Cleaning, equipment, and operating supplies beyond typical levels for the home; and,
- Implementing infection control measures based on clinical evidence, advice from a physician or other regulated health practitioners with expertise in infection control.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Ontario Government has invested $1.38 billion to ensure that our long-term care homes have the resources they need to battle COVID-19.