Care home outbreaks still on the rise
B.C. seniors advocate launches review of long-term facilities' handling of the COVID-19 pandemic
Three more COVID-19 outbreaks were declared at care homes late last week in Kamloops, Maple Ridge and Squamish.
It brings the total number to more than 200 as outbreaks at long-term and assisted-living homes have escalated in the second wave this winter and even as vaccinations have begun.
Some care homes have had several outbreaks: Six have had three outbreaks and 32 have had two, according to information released by the province this week on facility-by-facility infection and fatality numbers.
More than 600 residents have lost their lives at care homes, representing more than 60 per cent of all deaths in B.C.
Nearly 76,000 vaccinations have been administered in B.C., but neither the province nor health authorities could tell Postmedia how many had been administered to longterm care residents and staff. Numbers are coming next week, said officials.
This winter, some longterm care homes have been hit particularly hard by infections.
During an outbreak that began at the end of November at Little Mountain Place in Vancouver, 99 residents and 71 staff have been infected, and 41 residents have died.
There are other continuing serious outbreaks this winter — at Capilano Care Centre in North Vancouver, where 24 residents have died, and at Agecare Harmony Court Care Centre in Burnaby where 30 residents have died.
It's why the B.C. seniors advocate, Isobel Mackenzie, has launched a review of long-term care homes' handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It has absolutely crystallized in the last, I would say, four or five weeks, that this office will be doing an in-depth report,” Mackenzie told Postmedia this week.
The review will examine all care homes, but specifically those where outbreaks were not contained. Mackenzie said the big question is why were some care homes able to contain the virus to a single staff or resident, while others spread rapidly.
B.C. Premier John Horgan said this week he welcomed the review.
“I look forward to the information that she brings forward,” Horgan said during a news conference. “But, again, all of us, not just in B.C., but across the country, are wrestling with these issues. … we are trying to manage them to the best of our ability.”
According to information on outbreaks released this week, 10 or more residents have died at outbreaks at each of nearly 30 long-term care homes.
The information also shows nearly 100 outbreaks at care homes where there were no deaths. The majority of those were outbreaks of just one or two residents or staff.
Among the areas that Mackenzie will review are testing strategies, use of personal protective equipment, contact tracing and support from health authorities.
Other types of information to be examined include whether paid sick-leave benefits influenced whether staff showed up to work, possibly with COVID-19 symptoms, whether homes have single or multiple-occupancy rooms, and whether homes are unionized or accredited.
The review will also look at whether there were differences in private, not-for-profit and government-run homes.
Mackenzie said her office will examine data and conduct interviews that include front-line workers.
She expects the review to take some months and doesn't have a delivery date.
The Hospital Employees' Union, which represents more than 20,000 home care workers, welcomed the review and others the union said it expects to come.
HEU secretary-business manager Mike Old said issues that should be reviewed include staffing levels, access to personal protective equipment, age of facilities, paid sick leave, contracting arrangement and tools used to screen workers and visitors.
Another factor that should be examined is whether stress and fatigue played a role in what happened, he said. “There is absolutely no question that as we're 10 to 11 months into the pandemic that workers in the sector are extremely exhausted,” said Old.
The B.C. Care Providers Association, which represents non-government care-home owners, also supports the review.
Terry Lake, the association's CEO, said they will bring up what they believe was a missed opportunity to use rapid testing of workers as a screen for COVID-19 infections.
Lake also said the lack of testing of people transferred from acute care to long-term care should be examined, as infection was spread this way.
“I think it's appropriate to take a look at what was done and what wasn't done that could have improved the outcomes,” said Lake.
While information was not available this week on the number of care home residents and staff who have been vaccinated, some information on individual homes was available.