REGINA - Due to the extremely high number of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) across the province, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is increasing family presence restrictions in Critical Care Units across the province.
All provincial ICUs and cardiac care units in Saskatoon and Regina will implement temporary enhanced surge family presence restrictions, which means every ICU patient will be able to designate two essential family/support persons, with one person present at a time.
There is no change to end-of-life family presence, which allows two designated people at a time, in the ICUs or elsewhere.
There are currently more patients in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across the province than there have been at any other time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The vast majority of those patients are COVID positive. Limiting the number of family members and visitors will help to ensure proper physical distancing and help mitigate the risk of COVID transmission in ICU settings.
The decision to limit family presence is not made lightly. These restrictions will be reviewed weekly and may be lessened or further restricted based on regular risk assessments. ICU teams will work to support phone and virtual connections with family/support persons as much as they are able to.
To understand details on what this level of family presence means for you, review the at-a-glance summary for acute care or for long-term care which also specify requirements for masking, screening and other safety measures. These measures are in place to keep you, your loved ones, and health care workers safe. The SHA is asking the public for their support and cooperation in order to contain the spread of the virus.
These limitations will be reviewed regularly but will remain in place until it is safe to return to the previous level of family presence. Family members and support people who are permitted must follow SHA guidelines for screening, personal protective equipment and physical distancing.
Detailed information about family presence during COVID-19 can be found at saskhealthauthority.ca.
