Comox Valley Echo, May 6, 2014

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Volume 20, No. 36

Hospital prepping to ensure emergency services in case of job action By Drew A. Penner Echo Staff

Future Mini World Cup “stars� learn techniques for succeeding at a Comox practice.

Thousands to flood the Valley for Mini World Cup this weekend By Drew A. Penner Echo Staff Courtenay may not be Rio, but upcoming festivities are sure to fire up athletes and soccer fans in much the same way. Kids from age 7 - 11 will have their own shot at soccer glory as the Comox Valley plays host to a Mini World Cup featuring more than 100 teams May 10 and 11. “We’ve got all these kids that are going to feel like they’re superstars,� said Robin Smart, chair of Comox Valley United Soccer Club Mini World Cup. “I hope all the different fans from different cities come down and have a great time.� With 50 teams from places like Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo and Port Alberni converging on the community — each team representing a different country from four different continents, the experience promises to thrill parents and kids all across the Island. “It’s a lasting memory for kids to be able to be part of an event like that,� she said. “This is promoted as a fun tournament. As long as that’s the end goal the kids are going to have a blast.� The event represents the largest Mini World Cup on the Island to date, after successful events the last two years in Parksville and Ladysmith. (Continued on page 2)

BC health care workers are trying to get back to the bargaining table armed with a 96 per cent strike mandate, says the union that makes up the vast majority of these employees. Employment security, protection of benefits and improved health and safety measures are the main sticking points this time around, in the face of continued privatization of the sector and erosion of extended health packages across the province, the Hospital Employees Union says. “We’re looking for some action on health and safety,� said Michael Old, HEU’s communications director. “Health care continues to be the most dangerous sector to work in in the country.� The union, which represents 900 workers in the Comox Valley - including about 600 at St. Joseph’s General Hospital - makes up 85 per cent of the membership of the Facilities Bargaining Association, which is going head to head with the Health Employers Association of BC on contract talks. Employees ready to strike if necessary work at the Cumberland Regional Hospital Laundry, the Cumberland Health Centre and Glacier View Lodge. The workers also want to see ambulance paramedics get have increased coverage to provide patient care. Although union members are working without a collective agreement, since the current one expired at the end of March, the last time around (back in 2012) when the deal ran out at the same time it took until December to come to terms on a new one. “We need to maintain the health of our extended health benefits plan,� Old said. “The next step is just getting back to the table with health employers. “We can’t anticipate how that will go.� One of the big issues the members face is that a moratorium on contracting out of services has now run out. Old noted this will be an important piece of any deal being discussed, especially in the face of recent decisions on the part of the North Island Hospitals Project to have private providers take care of maintenance and housekeeping services. He explained, however that it may be more difficult to save jobs of HEU members in that case since Public Private Partnerships (P3s) are covered by separate legislation that was brought in back in 2004. The most recent round of bargaining kicked off on January 14 and failed in late March. Roy Thorpe-Dorward, who represents HEABC, said employers will attempt to return to negotiating with FBA.

Youth jostle each other during soccer drills ahead of the Mini World Cup.

(Continued on apge 2)

Norovirus outbreak at St. Joseph’s affects more than two dozen By Drew A. Penner Echo Staff Twenty-six people have fallen ill with vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms in a wing of the residential care units at St. Joseph’s General Hospital during a Norovirus outbreak that began April 29. This is the first recorded incident of the single-stranded RNA virus spreading through the hospital in three years, said officials at the Comox facility. “It’s quite a contagious virus and it spreads quite rapidly,� said Bonny Duncan, the on site infection control nurse. “We want to

make sure we stop transmitting it.� In order to prevent bouts of nausea, abdominal pain, and possible loss of taste from spreading alongside the watery diarrhea and intense emesis specific control guidelines are brought into force, patient viewing is restricted and extra staff is added. “You always put extra housekeeping on and change the product,� Duncan said, describing the response to the incident, which was discovered in the morning of April 29 and reported later that day. “The residents usually stay in their room if they’re not feeling well.�

Duncan explained that The Views has upgraded from an ammonia-based disinfectant to a peroxide-based disinfectant. Michael Aikins, executive director of The Views at St. Joseph’s residences, said on the Tuesday a response kicked into high gear. “We saw an increase in the number of symptoms,� he said. “It all came together pretty quickly.� He noted the virus has not spread beyond the Eagle View area of the hospital. “We’ve been able to contain it to the one unit,� he said, noting family members have been asked to only visit with the resident they’re

associated with, as opposed to also stopping in down the hall to see someone else. “It’s for their own protection too.� About 20 per cent of Eagle View residents appear to have been infected. Norovirus is part of a family of germs that cause acute gastroenteritis, better known as stomach flu. This is completely separate from what you normally think of as the “flu� - which is actually a respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. The Comox Valley Seniors Village suffered a Norovirus outbreak that hit 32 residents and about 20 staff earlier this year. Rowena Rizzotti,

vp operations at Vancouver-based Retirement Concepts, the parent company for the facility, said she sympathized with what the hospital is going through. “Many of the care providers experience this,� she said. “It’s still important for us to maintain a heightened awareness.� About the only positive thing to come out of their experience with the virus was the reinforcement of the importance of having the proper standards, policies and procedures in place, she noted, adding cleaning standards and visitation rules have returned to normal there.

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