Mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all workers in long-term care homes and assisted living facilities announced last week by B.C. health authorities will cover one of two elder care facilities in Osoyoos.
The full two-shot vaccination is required by Oct.12 with the mandate covering all private, public, non-profit and contracted facilities. It is also required for volunteers and personal service workers who enter these specific care home environments.
There are an estimated 20,000 people working in long-term care and assisted living facilities across the province.
Citing a recent resurgence in outbreaks in care homes, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the outbreaks were introduced by unvaccinated visitors and staff.
“We now have eight outbreaks introduced by unvaccinated people,” Henry said as of last week. “And we’ve seen spread both to residents and staff, causing illness but also disruption to the lives of people in long-term care.”
Until this announcement, the government’s position has been to require unvaccinated employees to use additional personal protective equipment and undergo regular testing.
“We have now seen with the transmission of the new variants that we need extra protection in this highly risky situation,” Dr. Henry said. She added that even with full immunization of residents “we have seen transmission from unvaccinated staff.”
Going forward, getting vaccine protection against COVID-19 will be “a condition of employment.” The small percentage of people who can’t be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons will be exempted, but will be required to wear PPE and may be subject to frequent testing.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the move is legally sound as it is “proportionate and reasonable” to the heightened risk COVID-19 poses in these care settings.
The mandate doesn’t cover the entire reach of elder care homes however, with Osoyoos’ Sunshine Ridge facility exempted as it is not a long-term care or assisted living facility.
“It doesn’t apply to us because Sunshine Ridge is independent living and so we don’t fall under the mandate,” said Andrew Trinder, director of operations at Sunshine Ridge’s parent company, VRS Communities.
“We’re not regulated by the same bodies so they don’t have any jurisdiction to do so, maybe they do but they haven’t. Even through the pandemic, we weren’t getting all the focus that went to long-term care and assisted living.”
He adds that through the pandemic they’ve tried to follow the same guidelines given for long-term care and assisted living facilities.
Trinder said the “vast majority” of VRS staff at its communities have been vaccinated, including Sunshine Ridge. “There might be a couple but it’s one or two and we will just enforce the mask-wearing for those staff.”
He adds that staff will continue to be encouraged, because “we really want people to be vaccinated but we cannot enforce it. Overall I support the direction and if it applied to us I wouldn’t be disheartened by it,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nadia Daniell-Colarossi, spokesperson for Sienna Senior Living, the Ontario-based parent of Osoyoos’ Mariposa Gardens, says the group welcomes the B.C. government’s decision. This facility is covered by the mandatory order.
From as early as December when the first vaccines were approved in Canada, Daniell-Colarossi said the Sienna group has been actively encouraging vaccinations among team members as well as residents, family members and essential caregivers.
“We have continuously provided them with coaching, education and opportunities to hear the facts from medical experts and have their questions answered.”
But despite best efforts, incentivizing staff was required to raise vaccination rates. A company-wide campaign was launched on June 1 and also rewarded employees who had already stepped up.
Prizes for vaccinated front-line employees have been awarded by draws ranging from $5000 to $10,000 when overall vaccination rates have reached 75, 80, and 85 per cent. A draw for the grand prize, a 2021 Elantra Essential IVT will take place when a 90 per cent level is reached.
Currently, 88 per cent of all Sienna team members have at least one dose. At Mariposa Gardens 81 per cent of staff have received at least one dose.
