Like communities around the world, Lac La Biche County officials are refining their existing emergency management plans to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.
Municipal officials say the rapidly changing events associated with virus, which currently has 56 confirmed cases in Alberta and 304 across Canada, keep them in constant contact with provincial and national resources regarding healthcare and disease control.
"We’re in contact with the Government of Alberta and Alberta Health Services, and have been following all of their guidelines and recommendations," noted Lac La Biche County spokesperson Jihad Moghrabi in a statement. "We’re receiving all of our guidance from both Alberta Health Services and the Public Health Agency of Canada."
Community assessment centre discussed
Part of those discussion have recently revolved around the creation of an 'assessment centre' in the community.
"Alberta Health Services has been in discussions with the County on locating an assessment centre if it is potentially needed," noted Moghrabi.
In other parts of the country, assessment centres are specialized areas to deal solely with COVID-19-related incidents, taking a strain off the standard health care facilities. People using the centres have been referred to public health officials, have compromised immune systems, are over the age of 60 with elevated fevers, or have other characteristics that may put them in a higher level of risk for the virus.
While no location has been determined, Moghrabi did say that the Bold Center would not be the location for such a resource. In 2016, the 225,000 square foot facility was transformed into an emergency evacuation centre and one-stop resource for residents forced to evacuate the Fort McMurray area during the massive forest fire.
Lac La Biche County Mayor Omer Moghrabi says the idea for the centre makes sense, and he has been in direct contact with provincial health officials.
“There is a protocol that we have set up with Alberta Health Services; If someone feels like they may have the virus, we don’t want them walking into the emergency room at the hospital or into the doctor's clinic, so there will likely be a remote site in the hamlet where people can go if they think they have it.”
Details on where this remote site will be, and when it will be up have not been released. However, if someone is feeling sick, the best option is to self-isolate, and take the Alberta Health COVID-19 Self-Assessment Test to see if calling Health Link 811 is needed.
Mayor Moghrabi is confident that Lac La Biche region has the tools to combat the virus if it were to spread to Lac La Biche.
“As the COVID-19 situation develops, Lac La Biche County is doing everything possible to prepare," the Mayor told the POST, adding that community members need to take an active roll in curbing the spread of the disease. "In the meantime, all of our residents can take basic measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, like washing your hands frequently and, if at all possible, avoiding travel. We’ll continue to work with Government of Alberta authorities to keep County citizens safe.”
For regular updates on the COVID-19 pandemic on a regional level, visit the regional landing page for all Coronavirus material at https://www.lakelandtoday.ca/coronavirus-covid-19-information
**With Files from Bianca Mazziotti / Lac La Biche POST
