There haven’t been any cases of Ebola in Ontario, and local hospitals are making changes to keep it that way.
Visitors to hospitals in our region are now noticing enhanced screening measures, designed to watch out for potential cases or symptoms of Ebola.
Those measures often start right at the front door.
At Barrie’s Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), a nurse with full protective gear is now in place to ask people questions as they enter the building.
At Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, the same thing is done, but the nurse sits behind a booth with a protective screen in place.
Stevenson Memorial is also requiring visitors who’ve already been screened to wear a bracelet while they’re in the hospital.
“This absolutely meets the standard set out by the Ministry of Health,” said Stevenson Memorial Hospital employee Joy McCarron. “It actually surpasses the standard that was sent out by the public health.”
Hand sanitizing is also mandatory in the hospitals, and any guests showing symptoms of Ebola would be isolated immediately.
And, in Alliston, the only entrance people are being allowed through is the Emergency Department.
Dr. Anwar Parbtani, a Barrie physician, says everyone needs to be on the same page.
“Educating our staff specifically about Ebola…is new,” he said. “Our primary interest is patient care, but at the same time we have to be responsible for our staff, the public and ourselves because we're all in it together.”
