Long-term staff at Chartwell Malaspina Care Residence in Nanaimo will be among the first in line for COVID-19 vaccinations after an outbreak was declared Sunday.
“Chartwell, because it’s an active outbreak, is one that that I’ve requested to be prioritized,” said Dr. Mike Benusic, Island Health’s medical health officer for the central region. “We’ll be getting them up there as soon as we’re able to.”
Three residents tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, for a total of five residents now, in the Chartwell Malaspina long-term care residence. “Beginning immediately, all residents and staff who have worked at the site will be tested for COVID-19,” Island Health said in a statement.
This is the first Island outbreak in which a patient has been the first to test positive for the virus. Despite that, officials suspect a staff member brought the virus into the facility, as has been the case elsewhere.
Ideally, a clear link of transmission back to the source will be established, but there’s a potential it won’t be, Benusic said. More important is preventing spread, he said.
About 50 staff from Chartwell have been booked to be vaccinated, Benusic said. “There is a real glimmer of light knowing vaccines have already started going in the arms of long-term care workers on the Island,” he said.
For now, infection prevention and control measures including isolation remain the first line of defence, Benusic said.
“If we provide vaccine now to people, it’s going to produce some immunity in two to four weeks. In the meantime, we certainly have to continue relying on what we know does reduce the amount of spread in long-term care sites,” he said.
The five infected residents have been isolated to their rooms and the affected unit on the first floor of the facility has been isolated from the rest of the building. All visits, admissions and transfers to the care home have stopped.
Meanwhile, an outbreak declared on at The Gardens at Qualicum Beach — which provides long-term care, assisted living and independent living — has not spread beyond one staff member who tested positive on Dec. 19.
An outbreak at Saanich Peninsula Hospital declared on Dec. 1 has not had any new cases in about 10 days. Eleven patients, 11 staff and two visitors have been infected. Four patients have died.
If there continue to be no new cases, the facility is expected to reopen Jan. 4.
The majority of the COVID-related deaths in the province have been residents of long-term care and assisted living homes.
