Wales Home begins vaccination process

On Wednesday, Wales Home saw their first Preposé aux Bénéficiare (PAB or orderly) receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

According to executive director of Wales Home & CHSLD Wales, Brendalee Piironen, the Richmond seniors’ residence sent a list of their employees to the CIUSSS de l’estrie-chus on Dec. 18 to avoid further phone traffic. Since then, the employees have been contacted to schedule their COVID-19 vaccination. Yesterday marked the first of many immunizations to come in the next few weeks.

But vaccinations are still only happening in Sherbrooke. This means it is still not available for residents of Wales Home.

“They still had to find out the procedure to transport the vaccine here,” said Piironen. “because it has to be kept at minus 70.”

Still, in a letter addressed to family members, Piironen said consenting residents will receive the vaccine on Jan 11. However, employees and residents of the Wales’ Shaw and Manning wings will only be immunized a little before March 2021. Piironen added that the government has informed residences vaccines will also be available for primary caregivers over the age of 70 who visit long-term care homes a minimum of twice a week.

Currently, there are no active outbreaks at Wales Home but residents of the Norton 1 Unit will be receiving their second procedural test today after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Although all patients have tested negative and are not showing any symptoms, the pavilion will remain under quarantine until all have tested negative.