IPC Update

Jan. 11, 2022 | Health, Safety & Environment Coordinator

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Dear Staff, Faculty and Students,

With the new year just beginning and the Omicron COVID-19 variant infecting more individuals, Alberta Health Services has updated their patient and visitor/designated support person screening criteria, and reinstated continuous eyewear mandates. There are changes to the isolation and quarantine requirements as well. Please read below for further details.

Isolation for COVID-19+ Cases

Over the holiday break many have asked about the change from a 10 day isolation period to a 5 day isolation period for positive COVID-19 cases. The 5 day isolation rule only applies to laypersons, people who are NOT healthcare workers. After their 5 days of full isolation they must mask and distance themselves from all others continuously for the next 5 days. 

As healthcare workers, we need to take every precaution to protect our patients so Alberta Health Services has not changed the isolation period for healthcare workers to return to work. Work (school) restriction for COVID-19 positive healthcare workers remains unchanged at 10 days. A positive symptomatic case must remain work (school) restricted for 10 days past the day their symptoms began. A positive case who is asymptomatic must remain work (school) restricted for 10 days past the day they had their COVID-19 test done.

Quarantine for Close Contacts of COVID-19+ Cases

The requirements for quarantine have been modified to account for those who are in various stages of vaccination. Recall that “close contact” is when you’ve been within 2 meters of someone during their infectious period (48 hours prior to symptoms or testing until 10 days after) for an accumulated time of >15 minutes while not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (medical mask and protective eyewear) who has tested positive for COVID-19 or when you’ve had direct contact with the infectious bodily fluids of an infected person. The changes to quarantine requirements are summarized below:

• Unimmunized: you are work (school) restricted for 14 days past the date of last exposure.

• Partially immunized: if you have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 90 days, you are work (school) restricted for 10 days. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 90 days then you are not work (school) restricted.

• Fully immunized: you are not required to be work (school) restricted and may attend campus provided you follow all required infection prevention & control protocols while on campus.

Continuous Masking and Eye Protection Mandate

Alberta Health Services Kaye Edmonton Clinic Site Administration has mandated that, effective immediately, all students, faculty, and staff are required to continuously wear a mask and eye protection. The preferable mode of eye protection is a full face shield. Safety glasses with fixed side shields and brow flange or CSA approved custom prescription safety eye glasses are also acceptable. Regular prescription eyewear alone is NOT acceptable. Both masks and eye protection must be worn at all times when in Kaye Edmonton Clinic or across the street in the University of Alberta Hospital. The only acceptable time to remove eye protection is in non-patient care areas AND when appropriately distanced from everyone else (ie. >2 metres). 

For the time being, full face shields / safety glasses must be kept on. It is no longer acceptable to lift up or remove your face shield / safety glasses anywhere in KEC where patients have access. 

Changes to KEC Patient and Visitor / Designated Support Person Screening Criteria 

Patient screening on KEC Level 1has been enhanced in light of the risks posed by the Omicron variant. Any patient presenting who has traveled outside of Canada in the past 14 days, regardless of symptoms or immunization status, may have their appointment deferred. If the patient visit is to continue as planned then the patient will be escorted to the Oral Health Clinic by one of our OHC supervisors who will be observing contact & droplet precautions while escorting the patient to the 8th floor.

Designated support person / visitor screening has changed as well. Anyone who is visiting or accompanying a patient to an appointment in any Alberta Health Services location will not be allowed in the building if within the last 14 days they have had:

• close contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive

• a case of COVID-19 in their home

• symptoms of COVID-19

Every effort should be made to accommodate the designated support person to attend the appointment via phone or video chat. 

The above mentioned changes are temporary and may change according to the current COVID-19 situation in the Edmonton region.

Have IPC Questions, Concerns or Positive Comments? Email dentIPC@ualberta.ca.

Sincerely,
Dr. Khaled Altabtbaei, IPC Officer
Ronna Richardson-Lozano, IPC Coordinator