SASKATOON -- 73-year-old Bill Neufeld manages West Portal Manor in Saskatoon, home to more than 30 people aged 55 and over.
He says he isn’t overly concerned about COVID-19, but he is being cautious.
"Washing my hands a lot more,” Neufeld said. “When I go to the gym I wipe everything down first, and now I've stopped going for a week just to stop and think about it."
His wife Shirley is on the same page; not too concerned about the virus, but playing it safe.
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"Well I won't be going to where there's a bunch of people,” she said.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority advises against mass gatherings for people over the age of 65, as well as international travel. They also recommend modelling social distancing; no handshakes, hugs, or kisses, as well as sanitizing multi-touch surfaces such as handrails.
It’s advice that Sherbrooke Community Centre, a long-term care home in Saskatoon is following.
"We have a very vulnerable population here at Sherbrooke," said communications leader Eric Anderson.
"We're asking family members and friends of residents, loved ones, that if you are feeling ill, or feeling sick, to please not come visit your loved ones."
Friday the province announced that no one who has travelled outside of the province in the last 14 days can visit a long term care home.
June Gawdun with the Saskatoon Council on Aging says they’ve been receiving several calls related to COVID-19.
"We know older adults have a higher risk of getting ill,” she said. “We are cancelling or postponing many of our social events to ensure that older adults stay safe."
As for the Neufeld’s, there is one thing they aren’t worried about at all.
"This one person (at a store) had I think about six packages of toilet paper in the cart, and I'm thinking, 'Really?'," laughed Shirley Neufeld.
