WRHA PCH COVID-19 Status Update
January 22, 2021
The WRHA’s long-term care program funds and oversees the operations of 39 long-term care facilities, including 38 personal care homes (PCHs) and the St. Amant health care facility, in the Winnipeg health region.
The WRHA has implemented and is managing a comprehensive system-wide approach to protect and care for residents and staff at Winnipeg PCH facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks. This involves careful, fluid coordination with WRHA clinical management, PCH management and staff, regional programs, and partners such as the Canadian Red Cross.
*Please note new updates will be published to this page twice weekly.
Current status:
As of 9 am, Jan. 22, there were active COVID-19 outbreaks at 20 of Winnipeg’s 39 long-term care facilities.
An outbreak is declared following the identification of one positive case in either a resident, a staff member or an external service provider (example: agency staff).
We are pleased to advise the COVID-19 outbreaks at West Park Manor, Fred Douglas Lodge and St. Amant LTC were declared resolved, as of Jan 21 (West Park), and Jan 19 (Fred Douglas and St Amant), respectively.
An outbreak may be declared over after two incubation periods (28 days) following isolation of the last case. Where the outbreak involves only staff cases, it may be declared over after two incubation periods (28 days) following the last positive staff person’s last day at work while infectious.
Of the 20 facilities with current outbreaks, 4 had active resident cases as of 9 am, Jan 22.
There are 35 active COVID-19 cases among PCH residents and 29 among PCH staff in the Winnipeg region as of Jan. 22. We are cautiously optimistic that the trend witnessed over the past few weeks towards a reduction in cases will hold, as more and more residents and staff members are vaccinated every day, and as the overall number of COVID-19 cases in our community stabilizes. Nevertheless, outbreaks at Winnipeg PCHs continue and we are monitoring the situation closely.
Larger-scale outbreaks are currently being experienced at:
- Southeast PCH
For a complete list of facilities with active COVID-19 outbreaks, please scroll to the bottom of this post.
A message to our staff, residents, PCH partners, and our community:
The staff, managers, facility operators, and leadership in our long-term-care sector grieve deeply and sincerely for the loss of PCH residents who contracted the virus, and as fellow citizens of Winnipeg we share in the pain experienced by so many families in our community.
Staff, including redeployed staff, at Winnipeg PCHs continue every day to step up and tirelessly ensure the care and safety of residents, despite the unprecedented and difficult situation. They are tired and they are worried, yet they persevere, and we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for their efforts.
Managers in Winnipeg’s personal care homes and long-term-care facilities, and the leadership of our long-term-care program, continue every day to consider best practices and implement measures according to clinical experts and established protocols. We will employ every feasible tool at our disposal to ensure outbreaks can be mitigated and controlled to the best of everyone’s ability.
Measures underway:
COVID-19 vaccination:
The COVID-19 vaccination rollout at Winnipeg PCHs continues. Approximately 1,500 residents of Winnipeg PCHs had received the vaccination by end of day, Jan. 21, at 14 Winnipeg PCHs. The average resident immunization rate at the completed homes is 95.1%.
Approximately 600 residents at four additional Winnipeg PCHs were scheduled to receive their vaccination on Friday, Jan. 22. It is anticipated that all eligible PCH residents in Winnipeg will have the opportunity to receive their first dose of vaccine by the end of January.
All eligible residents and personal care homes will be included in the campaign if they consent to be immunized. The vaccine will be offered at all sites, regardless of whether the PCH has had an outbreak, is having an outbreak or has never had an outbreak of COVID-19. Individuals in personal care homes will be offered the vaccine even if they have previously tested positive for COVID-19, as long as they do not have any other medical conditions that would exclude them from immunization.
Staffing:
As of Jan. 22, there are 29 PCH staff from the Winnipeg region who are actively COVID-positive. At some sites with outbreaks, staffing remains challenged.
The overall staffing situation at Winnipeg PCHs has improved in recent weeks. While some sites with outbreaks continue to identify staffing needs, staffing has largely stabilized across the region, and the number of PCHs requesting CIVP support and additional staff support has decreased. We continue to monitor staffing closely.
The WRHA established a staffing pool for PCHs. This strategy has improved staffing supports particularly on evenings, nights and weekends.
PCH staffing needs continue to be filled with redeployed resources available from our Community Health Services areas. Over the past several weeks, more than 1,900 shifts at Winnipeg PCHs have been filled.
The Provincial Recruitment and Redeployment Team (PRRT) continues to process applications for uncertified Health Care Aides – both those enrolled in the new Red River College (RRC) training program, and those not requiring training (e.g. those who are internationally trained or students in health sciences faculties).
On-site supports to PCHs and resident care:
WRHA clinical leads are currently providing, or have provided, support to the following Winnipeg PCHs: Maples PCH, Holy Family Home, Bethania PCH, Fred Douglas Lodge, Park Manor Care, Oakview Place, Convalescent Home of Winnipeg, Charleswood Care Centre, West Park Manor, Poseidon Care Centre, Southeast PCH, River East PCH, Lions PCH, Concordia Place and Beacon Hill Lodge.
These site leads work with management at PCH facilities to provide oversight and guidance, and issues/ concerns are communicated to WRHA Long Term Care leadership regarding resident/ clinical care aspects, staffing resources, infection prevention and control practices, and family communication.
The Canadian Red Cross continues to be available to provide infection prevention and control guidance to PCHs. The Canadian Red Cross is not currently providing on-site support at any Winnipeg personal care homes at this time.
PCHs continue to access the WRHA community intravenous (CIVP) team, palliative care team, regional infection prevention and control staff, and respiratory therapy specialists to support COVID-19 residents with higher care needs.
Regular physician coverage and medical monitoring of residents continues to be provided onsite and virtually at the priority sites.
N95 fit-testing within licensed Personal Care Homes and Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities continues.
Facility-specific information:
Current priority site is Southeast PCH.
The WRHA is also closely working with, and monitoring the situation at, Concordia Place.
Management and Oversight
Daily situational update calls with the management teams of all PCHs and the WRHA long-term care program have been established to share information, progress and challenges in real-time. These calls will continue on a daily basis.
The WRHA clinical leads providing oversight at PCHs in greatest need have daily status updates with WRHA leadership, to ensure resources are proactively directed to areas of greatest need. These clinical leads will be rotated to other sites or provide support to a cluster of sites, as needed and as the outbreak situation across WRHA PCH sites evolves.
Winnipeg PCHs currently experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks (as of Jan. 22, 2021)
- Actionmarguerite St. Vital
- Beacon Hill Lodge
- Bethania PCH
- Charleswood Care Centre
- Concordia Place
- Convalescent Home of Winnipeg
- Deer Lodge Centre (LTC)
- Donwood Manor
- Golden Door Geriatric Centre
- Golden Links Lodge
- Golden West Centennial Lodge
- Holy Family Home
- Lions Personal Care Centre (Sherbrook Street location)
- Oakview Place
- Park Manor Care
- Poseidon Care Centre
- River East
- Southeast PCH
- St Norbert PCH
- Tuxedo Villa