The infected employee worked in several places – VG

After two nursing homes in the municipality were hit by a major outbreak this month, Eidsvoll municipality is now experiencing what all municipalities fear most.

At the nursing home Villa Skaar Valstad stayed 22 out of 23 residents in a short time infected, and in just one week, six of them died. 20 employees were also infected.

Infections were then discovered in three patients and one employee at Vilberg Helsetun municipal nursing home. The infection was discovered after infection tracking showed that an employee worked at both nursing homes.

Wednesday died one of the residents at Vilberg health park.

At the same time, it also becomes known that another municipal institution in the municipality has been diagnosed with infection. The infected are elderly people with developmental disabilities in the risk group.

Once again, the infection can be linked to an employee who has worked in several places, including the infected Villa Skaar.

– It is absolutely not desirable that employees who work in an infected department also work in a non-infected department in the municipality, says mayor John-Erik Vika (Sp) to VG on Wednesday.

– Not wanted

Municipal chief physician Carl Magnus Jensen confirms to VG that it is a general challenge that employees have several small positions with different employers and across municipal boundaries.

He says that employees have a duty to inform their employer about other working conditions, so that this can not be repeated.

– In a meeting with the health services in the municipality, employers were encouraged to map their employees and whether employees work in several places. As far as possible and justifiably, we want employees to relate to one department, Jensen says by phone to VG.

The municipal chief physician says that an employee at the care home for the mentally handicapped also worked at Villa Skaar Valstad.

The employee at the care home must have worked at the nursing home on 4 November. It is the same day that the outbreak at the nursing home was uncovered.

The person in question must not have worked there after the outbreak became known.

– This is not desirable, but it is also not forbidden to have more employers. It is clear that it is not fortunate that employees have more workplaces, but in some cases it is necessary due to skills needs, Jensen explains.

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Fear employees are afraid to test themselves

Mayor of Eidsvoll municipality, John-Erik Vika, is concerned about the development he sees in the municipality.

– It’s very sad. It is the worst possible situation we can get into, where it is the most vulnerable person we have who are affected, Vika says to VG.

Even the municipal superintendent thinks it was disappointing to uncover an outbreak once again.

– Again, I get anxious about the consequences. So far, we have now taken major measures to move residents to the infection post at Vilberg health park, he says, says Jensen.

Jensen fears that the blame for outbreaks alone will be placed on individuals, and believes it is difficult to deal with a virus that does not always cause symptoms. Ultimately, he is afraid this will lead to health professionals refusing to get tested.

– I’m worried about this. I get a lot of tips about things and I know that there are various rumors about the route of infection to the nursing home, and I am very much against a gap here, he explains.

At the same time, he is aware that he takes any offenses seriously.

– I will of course report if I receive information about offenses. But first and foremost, it is clear and good communication we need, and at the same time an openness that makes people dare to do the necessary testing, says

The nightmare became a reality for the nursing home: – A horrible reminder of how wrong it can go