LTC and DSL residents, staff receiving vaccine

Available COVID vaccines are being distributed despite recent shortages.

Not long after the first COVID-19 vaccines became available and were distributed, earlier this year Pfizer announced they were shipping about 80 per cent less vaccines over the next few weeks as it completed upgrades to its manufacturing plant in Belgium, and Moderna also announced in January they would output 20-23 per cent less product. The delays in vaccines meant that many provinces, including Alberta, suffered from shortages and Alberta stopped administering the first dose of the two-shot vaccines.

Currently, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the only ones approved for use in Canada.

Under the province’s rollout plan for the vaccine, many health care workers, staff in long-term care and designated supportive living facilities, paramedics and emergency medical responders and all residents of LTC and DSL facilities are eligible to get the vaccine under phase 1A of the rollout, which begun this past January.

“Alberta has now administered 124,325 doses of vaccine. Currently, first doses of the vaccine have been offered to 100 per cent of residents in long-term care and designated supportive living. To date, about 27,000 — 96 per cent — of these residents have received the first dose. Those who were not healthy enough or able to receive it when offered are being provided with the vaccine as soon as possible,” said Tom McMillan, Assistant Director of Communications for Alberta Health. “About 63 per cent of residents in long-term care and designated supportive living have now been fully immunized with two doses.”

“We would like to offer the vaccine to many, many more groups but are receiving only a very limited supply. As the supply of vaccines increases, we'll be able to expand our approach.”

According to the Alberta Health Services website, last updated on Feb. 9, phase 1B, which was scheduled for February 2021, would see seniors over 75 years old and First Nations, Métis and persons over 65 years old living in a First Nations community or Metis Settlement become eligible for a vaccine. Eligible groups for the phase two rollouts were not yet announced.

Good Samaritan President and CEO Dr. Katherine Chubbs said they have received consent from residents for both the first and the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Good Samaritan Garden Vista in Magrath and Good Samaritan Prairie Ridge care homes, which are DSL4/4D facilities. AHS has also been working with staff members directly for their vaccines, and while Chubbs says they don’t know how many have received it, all have been offered the first dose.

“Our partners at Alberta Health Services determine vaccine priority, and we are working with them to facilitate the immunizations,” said Chubbs. “To date, all eligible, consenting residents have received their vaccinations in the required timeline. We are grateful that so many of our residents and employees have now had the opportunity to be immunized.”

Kim Schnoor, CAO of the Chinook Foundation, says the Chinook Lodge in Cardston, a level 1-3 facility, has seen 52 of their 60 residents receive their second dose, after having received their first dose. Four residents were offsite during the time of vaccinations, although they will receive their dose when able, and three chose not to be vaccinated at this time. All staff were encouraged to receive the vaccine.

However, residents at the Diamond Willow Lodge in Magrath, which provides Level 1-2 accommodation with home care providing scheduled care requirements if needed and is not a contracted partner site, have not been provided with an opportunity for vaccination.

“We are pleased with vaccinations provided at Chinook Lodge on behalf of both residents and staff,” said Schnoor. “Many residents at Diamond Willow Lodge are anxious to receive vaccination and frequently ask for rescheduling, which we of course have no control over. Many residents are concerned regarding the potential risks of infection without vaccinations, in their congregate living setting, in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.”