The Saskatchewan Health Authority declared an outbreak at Elmview Extendicare on Tuesday after four residents and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
A spokesperson for Extendicare said the home has implemented outbreak protocol and safety measures to deal with the outbreak.
The home cannot disclose personal immunization information but wrote in an email to Global News that more than 95 per cent of residents have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 88 per cent of staff have gotten at least one dose — 50 per cent are fully vaccinated.
There are further vaccinations taking place, they said.
“COVID-19 vaccines are a powerful tool to strengthen our defence against the virus. However, until mass vaccination is completed and broader immunity is achieved in the community, the virus will continue to circulate and potentially enter homes. We must remain vigilant and use every available precaution to prevent the virus from reaching residents,” spokesperson Laura Gallant said.
Gallant said the home has been conducting rapid tests for anyone entering the home and all staff members on every shift, and they will be continuing with this practice.
Gallant said Extendicare will keep families informed as new information becomes available.
- A ‘zombie’ virus is raging among raccoons. What to know
- N.S. couple felt they won ‘doctor lottery’ after years on wait-list. Now they’re back on it
- Panera to remove ‘Charged Sips’ drink from Canada amid wrongful death lawsuits
- ‘Summer of discontent’ coming over public service in-office order: unions
“We recognize this news is concerning to our community and are doing everything we can to support the wellbeing of our residents safe and keep them safe. Our team is connecting with each resident to offer modified programs and one-on-one support, and arranging regular virtual visits with loved ones,” Gallant said.
An epidemiology professor at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), Nazeem Muhajarine, said that it takes a week to two weeks for a body’s immune system to build up to a level that it will hopefully block transmission.
Muhajarine said it may be time to look at a short-term lockdown in Regina as a circuit breaker to variant cases.
Provincial government officials said in Regina there are 70 confirmed cases of Variants of Concern (VoC) as of Friday and 77 presumed positive VoCs that have yet to be confirmed with genome sequencing.
Comments