Saskatoon-area long-term care homes to tighten visitor restrictions Thursday: SHA

Due to the rising levels of COVID-19 in the Saskatoon region, long-term care homes in the city and surrounding area will soon be back to restricting visitors.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has announced it's returning to level one family presence, starting Thursday.

That means each resident can designate only two family members or support people, with just one of them allowed to visit at a time indoors. There's still no limit to the number of people a resident can visit outside.

For end-of-life or palliative care residents, more than two support people or relatives are allowed to visit, but only a couple at a time.

"The decision to restrict family presence is not taken lightly," the SHA said in a news release Tuesday.

"These measures are only activated temporarily in order to keep residents, family members/support persons, and health care workers safe at this time of elevated local COVID activity. Recovery family presence will resume as soon as possible."

Long-term care homes impacted:

• Central Haven Special Care Home.
• Circle Drive Special Care Home.
• Cudworth Nursing Home.
• Extendicare Preston.
• Goodwill Manor Duck Lake.
• Lakeview Pioneer Lodge - Wakaw.
• Langham Care Home.
• Lutheran Sunset Home.
• Oliver Lodge Special Care Home.
• Parkridge Centre.
• Porteous Lodge.
• Rosthern Mennonite Nursing Home.
• Sherbrooke Community Centre.
• St. Ann's Senior Citizens' Village.
• St. Joseph's Home.
• Sunnyside Adventist Care Centre.
• Saskatoon Convalescent Home.
• Samaritan Place.
• Spruce Manor Special Care Home - Dalmeny.
• Stensrud Lodge.
• Warman Mennonite Special Care Home.

In July, when the province lifted its COVID-19 public health restrictions, long-term and personal care homes were able to welcome back an unlimited number of visitors.

Masks were "strongly encouraged" for those who were unvaccinated, but not mandated by the government during visits, and all visitors were expected to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms at the door.

On Tuesday, Saskatoon saw the highest number of new infections in Saskatchewan at 84. That compares to 16 cases on the same day in Regina.