GEORGE NEWS - Management of premises for the aged in the pandemic is extremely challenging and although the Covid-19 regulations are being followed strictly at the Kraaibosch Estate frail care facility, three residents have recently tested positive.
"This is the first time in the 16 months since the start of the pandemic that we as a facility have positive patients," said Annadi Deysel of Kraaibosch Frail Care, the service provider at the facility.
Deysel confirmed that four staff members are also positive and are isolating.
Two of the positive residents were in a four-bed room, but the other occupants in the room tested negative. The positive patients are recovering well, said Deysel.
She responded to a query from George Herald after a complaint was received that the management is not careful enough in preventing coronavirus infections.
Deysel said controlled visits are permissible in terms of the Covid-19 regulations and were allowed at the Kraaibosch frail care facility, but only for one hour on three days of the week. This was stopped from 19 July after the last family visit on the 17th when the residents and staff tested positive.
The three residents who have tested positive were among those who had refused the vaccine.
All nursing staff have been vaccinated except for two women who are pregnant. All front-line staff were vaccinated in May already.
"Our access control includes scanning of visitors and taking their temperature as well as keeping a log of visitors,” said Deysel.
“On Tuesday 3 August, the 14-day isolation period for the positive residents will have lapsed and we will do a risk assessment before deciding on opening up for visitors again. The doctor said isolating the ill residents was necessary for only 10 days, but we decided to be sure by doing it for 14 days."
Deysel said the room that the two positive patients were in, was cleaned with 70% alcohol-based spray. " Patients were removed from the ward with bed and all. After the isolation period ends and we have done our risk evaluation, the frail care unit will be sanitised before visitors are allowed back in, as per protocol."
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