GBGH team receives flu shots for safety’s sake

October 30, 2018 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) launched its annual influenza immunization campaign in preparation for the upcoming flu season. During the campaign which coincides with Canadian Patient Safety Week, all staff, credentialed staff and volunteers are encouraged to receive their flu shot to protect patients, themselves, their loved ones and their colleagues.

“Our annual flu shot campaign is an important part of GBGH’s commitment to patient safety,” says Judy Schell, manager, Occupational Health & Safety (OHS), GBGH. “We are committed to ensuring the highest safety precautions are in place to protect patients, staff, credentialed staff and volunteers. That means having a team that won’t pass along an influenza to patients and is healthy enough to come to work, helping care for the patients when they need us the most.”

To make receiving their immunization as convenient as possible, GBGH’s OHS team is visiting departments and running clinics to ensure as many of its team members as possible receive a flu shot during the month of November.

“The next few months will be a challenging time of year for us as we predict patient volumes will rise even higher than normal due to the flu,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “In preparing for this time, we are encouraging not only our team to be immunized, but asking the public to consider doing the same. The flu shot has never been more accessible to the public and we’re grateful. It’s a big help in reducing flu activity in the community, and therefore in our Emergency department.”

All GBGH patients will be screened for symptoms of influenza upon arriving at the Emergency department (ED) or at registration as part of enhanced safety precautions during the upcoming flu season. Patients with flu-like symptoms will be required to wear a mask and be isolated when possible. GBGH’s new ED includes an isolation waiting room which will be utilized for these patients.

The public is asked to not visit the hospital if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms such as cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fever, chills and sweats, headache, and muscle and joint pain. All visitors should practice hand hygiene on arrival and exiting the hospital to minimize virus transmission throughout the year and particularly during flu season.

Cutline: Gail Hunt, president and CEO of Georgian Bay General Hospital (centre, receiving shot), and other staff lined up to receive their flu shots as part of the hospital’s annual influenza immunization campaign. All staff, physicians and volunteers of the hospital are encouraged to receive their flu shot to protect patients, their colleagues, themselves and their loved ones. From left: Lana Whittaker, Judy Schell, Gail Hunt, Bill Whittaker, Janine Duquette and Mike LaChapelle.

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Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Communications Officer, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177
moorejen@gbgh.on.ca