Watch above: New protocols are out for health care workers who suspect they may be dealing with someone who’s come in contact with Ebola. Quinn Ohler explains.
EDMONTON – Alberta says while the risk of Ebola virus in the province remains low, it has been bolstering training for health-care workers.
Doctor James Talbot, chief medical health officer, says more than 110 Ebola education sessions have been held for Alberta Health Services staff in the last two weeks.
“Even though there hasn’t been a case of Ebola in Canada, we continue to ramp up our efforts to prepare for a potential case in our province,” Talbot said Tuesday.
“We’re meeting weekly with health leaders from across the country to share information about the latest and best available infection prevention and control measures to protect Albertans and our health-care workers.”
He says more than 1,700 people have attended the training sessions and 80 more classes are set for the next week.
Talbot says there are also more stringent rules to prevent and control infections and to assess potential or proven Ebola cases. AHS says EMS dispatchers who may suspect Ebola are asking patients about their travel history so necessary precautions can be taken by staff heading into those patient’s homes.
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Ebola personal protective equipment (PPE) packs have been sent to the four acute care facilities designated to care for suspected or confirmed cases in Alberta, as well as all regional and urban hospital emergency departments, urgent care centres and several additional sites.
The masks and gowns for health care workers ensure there is no exposed skin, Talbot said.
“It’s a step up from where we were a couple of weeks ago,” said Elisabeth Ballermann, president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta, the labour union that represents nearly 25,000 paramedical technical, professional and general support employees in Alberta.
“I’m please that they’re taking the concerns of the health professionals seriously and we obviously need to ensure that we keep people as safe as possible, understanding still that the risk of Ebola is relatively low, or very low here in Alberta.”
Talbot says AHS will continue to monitor the Ebola situation around the world but wanted to make it very clear the risk of Ebola in Alberta is very low.
“I want to assure Albertans that although Ebola virus causes a serious disease the risk to Albertans remains low, as the virus does not spread easily amongst people,” he said. “We know a lot about Ebola, we know how it’s transmitted and it’s heartening to be seeing that jurisdictions are doing a very good job of controlling it.”
With files from The Canadian Press.
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