St. Joseph’s Health System and Niagara Health have started testing all asymptomatic residents and select staff within their long-term care and retirement homes in Hamilton, Brantford, Guelph and the Niagara region for the novel coronavirus.
The pilot surveillance project aims to save lives by controlling the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, within “congregate” settings.
Dr. Tom Stewart, CEO of St. Joseph’s Health System and Niagara Health, says the organizations will be testing roughly 3,000 patients and staff throughout their facilities. [ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ] Stewart says that by testing everyone before they have symptoms and before there’s an outbreak, public health