The Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre Public Health Department and the Public Safety Commission wish to update the community on the current Public Health Measures as per Directive #65 under the Kahnawà:ke Emergency Preparedness Law.
Current Public Health Measures as per Directive # 65
These measures are for the general population. Each essential service organization may have their respective case and contact management strategies that differ from the general population.
The KMHC Local Public Health Team is observing several outbreaks and increase in cases within the community. The Local Public Health Teams is advising that community members take extra caution over the next three weeks as risk level has increased significantly, especially to those who are most vulnerable: elderly, immunocompromised individuals, those with uncontrolled chronic health conditions and our essential service organization employees.
NEW CASE AND CONTACT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES:
The testing site in Kahnawake is only currently available to essential service workers and people who are being admitted for surgery and have been requested to provide a negative test result prior to admission. However, community members can access PCR testing at testing sites in surrounding communities (ex. Chateauguay, Kirkland, Lachine).
UPDATED PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES
DEFINITIONS:
The notion of High Risk, Moderate Risk and Low Contact Risk are NO LONGER used in determining isolation criteria for positive cases and contacts of positive cases. Criteria is based on vaccination status and/or a history or not of having had COVID-19. The following 3 criteria are now used:
- Protected: A person is considered PROTECTED for 3 months following a prior COVID-19 infection from onset of symptoms or from the date of a positive test result in the case where there are no symptoms.
- Partially Protected: Vaccinated or With History of COVID-19 prior to DECEMBER 20TH : a person who has at least 1 vaccination dose or has had COVID-19 at any time since the beginning of the pandemic
- Not Protected: Unvaccinated with no history of COVID-19: a person who has 0 doses and has never had COVID-19 since March 2020
CASE and CONTACT MANAGEMENT:
Masking:
Masking remains an effective way of preventing and/or limiting COVID-19 transmission.
• Masks are still mandatory in all indoor public settings (example: pharmacy or grocery store)
• Masking is recommended in outdoor, public and private settings (example: outdoor rink, small family gathering)
• Masking in office spaces of community organizations is highly recommended, especially when 2-meter distancing cannot be maintained or where there are no protective barriers (plexiglass, dividers). Examples are: meeting/conference rooms in organizations such as MCK, KMHC or KSCS; group offices. Masks remain mandatory in all common areas when moving from one area to another.
• Public Health recommends that individuals use their judgement, knowledge and education, and acceptable level of risk when deciding about masking in their personal indoor and outdoor home environment
Distancing:
- 2-meter distancing is recommended in indoor and outdoor public settings
- 2-meter distancing is recommended in common spaces of community organizations
• 2-meter distancing is recommended in outdoor public and private settings and especially if you are a vulnerable person whether vaccinated or not
- Public Health recommends that individuals use their judgement, knowledge, education and acceptable level of risk when deciding about distancing in their personal indoor and outdoor home environment
Ventilation:
- Ventilation is important. Air out rooms every two hours by opening all windows in private areas or your home when gathering with people outside your household.
- Use of HEPA filters is beneficial
