Calgary obstetrician sees concern in COVID-19 exemption, but says rules are in place
After details of a COVID-19 exemption order in place for certain groups of people at labour and delivery wards in Alberta hospitals came to light, one doctor says precautions are in place to prevent any danger.
Back in July, Alberta's top doctor Dr. Deena Hinshaw signed an exemption order for "essential support persons" for obstetrical patients, allowing them access to a hospital facility, even if they were symptomatic or tested positive for COVID-19.
Dr. Stephanie Cooper, a high-risk obstetrician at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, says she understands how people could be concerned about the document as it's written.
However, she says that the protections put in place by Alberta Health Services are effective at preventing any problems from occurring.
"As written, I can understand and would think it means that COVID-positive support people are allowed to come up to the labour and delivery unit and be present there as well as in the post-partum unit just as, sort of, the general rule – as the norm," she told CTV News in an interview on Sunday. "That is not actually what happens."
Cooper also said that the idea of COVID-19 patients sharing a room with post-partum patients who are COVID-negative isn't true either.
She says she also received a letter recently that emphasized the fact that "exceptional circumstances" must exist before an exemption is granted.
"They would require high level approval from infection, prevention and control as well as site administration.
"So, it does say there is a possibility but, in practically, in my experience I have not seen that happen except in one exception."
Cooper said that occurred when a patient was delivering at the hospital. While admitted, they developed symptoms, were swabbed and was found to be COVID-positive.
"The support person is not sent home at that point, even though they are considered to be a close contact of someone with COVID."
'VERY ROBUST' HEALTH PROTOCOLS
Cooper says staff her field are "overly cautious" when it comes to the symptoms of COVID-19 appearing in patients on the unit.
If someone even develops a fever, the support person and anybody in the room is automatically assumed to have COVID and that room is made into an isolation room, she said.
"The support person is not allowed to leave the room and then we wait to get the swab back," she said. "After this length of time – 18 plus months – we have very robust PPE requirements in the sense of the doffing and the donning that if we're going in and taking care of a COVID person, the staff is taking off their PPE and is not going to take it from one room to the next."
However, there is the possibility for unvaccinated families to be in the same room as vaccinated families, Cooper says. They could also be in close contact with each other in common areas throughout medical facilities.
"That does happen, but not if anybody is symptomatic. If anybody is symptomatic or known to have COVID, then they are placed in isolation rooms."
Cooper says the exemption was also drafted several months ago, before the fourth wave hit Alberta.
"The reason that Deena Hinshaw wrote that letter probably came about weeks prior to that, before even delta was on the horizon.
"In early July, we were seeing cases that were very few in the community and we hadn't really recognized how contagious delta was and delta does make people sicker, especially post-partum women."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.