The manager of a Vernon housing facility for low-income seniors is concerned that Interior Health supplied care aides coming into the facility aren’t wearing masks.
The manager of the Vernon Restholm Association, Jerry Tellier, said the non-profit society plans to start providing a mask to each of the care aides that come to assist residents multiple times a day.
“The only way I’m going to allow those care aides into our place now is by having them wear a mask and hope that I don’t run out before I get more,” Tellier said.
“Our average age is 87 years of age. They are the critical mass that if this comes into our building, I don’t even like to think of what could happen to them.”
Tellier said the Vernon Restholm is currently in a lockdown mode due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Tellier, residents can only leave the building to walk the grounds and only medical personnel are allowed to visit.
However, the health authority said there is no need for staff to wear masks during all interactions with clients and it is taking numerous precautions.
Interior Health said in a statement that its community health workers have been “advised” on how to provide care while preventing the spread of COVID-19 and on how to deploy personal protective equipment.
But the health authority added that “masks are only required for specific procedures with patients/clients.”
Interior Health stressed that staff with symptoms of illness won’t be going to work and that “staff receive daily updates on COVID-19 precautions, including the use of hand sanitizer, washing their hands…and social distancing where possible.”
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