WRHA PCH COVID-19 Status Update

February 16, 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, Feb 16, there were active COVID-19 outbreaks at eight 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).

Of the facilities with current outbreaks, four had at least one active resident case and five had at least one active staff case, as of 9 am, Feb 16, including three facilities that have active cases among both residents and staff. Two facilities have no active cases among either residents or staff, yet remain under active outbreak.

An outbreak may be declared resolved 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.

There are seven active COVID-19 cases among PCH residents and six among PCH staff in the Winnipeg region as of 9 am, Feb 16. We are cautiously optimistic that the trend witnessed over the past several 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.

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 have been understandably tired and worried at times, 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. All residents of licensed PCHs in the Winnipeg region who chose to be vaccinated for COVID-19 have now received their first dose.

More than 4,800 residents of Winnipeg PCHs have received their first-dose vaccination at all 38 Winnipeg PCHs. The average resident immunization rate for the first round of vaccinations was 93.5%.

The second round of vaccinations (second dose) in Winnipeg PCHs began Feb 8. Nearly 2,000 residents at 18 Winnipeg PCHs had received their second dose by end of day, Feb 12. The average resident immunization rate in the second round is 95%.

Staffing:

While some sites with outbreaks continue to identify staffing needs, staffing has largely stabilized across the region.

The number of PCHs requesting CIVP support and additional staff support continues to decrease, as does the number of PCHs requesting urgent staffing assistance. Nevertheless, we continue to monitor staffing closely.

The majority of staff who had been redeployed to PCHs, largely from the Community Health Services sector, have now returned to their home sites, as the demand for staff to fill shifts in PCHs has significantly declined. We would like to commend all redeployed staff members who have worked shifts in PCHs over the past few months. Your willingness to assist in the fight against COVID-19 outbreaks has been tremendously appreciated.  

The WRHA is working to establish a dedicated staffing pool for PCHs as an ongoing measure to support PCHs in their outbreak management response. Processes are in place currently to ensure staffing assistance is available to PCHs if required.

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 on-site support to Southeast PCH, Holy Family Home, Concordia Place and Actionmarguerite St. Boniface.

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 WRHA clinical leads are also assisting other additional PCHs with vaccine clinics and post-outbreak recovery planning.

The Canadian Red Cross continues to provide infection prevention and control assessments and guidance to PCHs. Red Cross personnel are currently providing onsite support at Southeast PCH.

PCHs can 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 any identified priority sites.

N95 fit-testing within licensed Personal Care Homes and Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities continues.

Facility-specific information:

The WRHA is closely working with, and monitoring the situation at, Southeast PCH, Concordia Place, Holy Family Home and Actionmarguerite St. Boniface.           

Management and Oversight

Regular 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.

The WRHA clinical leads providing oversight at PCHs in greatest need have regular 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 Feb 16, 2021)

• Actionmarguerite St. Boniface
• Concordia Place
• Deer Lodge Centre (LTC)
• Holy Family Home
• River East
• Riverview Health Centre (LTC)
• Southeast PCH
• St. Amant (LTC)