05-10-2020, 12:05 AM
(05-09-2020, 07:48 PM)ac3r Wrote: How involved does the region itself get involved in LTC homes, though? I know the regional LTC home Sunnyside has been doing a phenomenal job. They were weeks ahead of even the hospitals in terms of limiting public access and implementing measures like face masks, shields, social distancing in the facility and so on. Someone I know who works there said they were also well stocked on PPE. She said they were locked down to the public around March (maybe February?).
I figured it was up to LTC homes to initially follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health as well as implement their own pandemic plans and to be in contact with the regional public health unit after that. One error it seems that LTC homes made was permitting staff to work multiple jobs. It was pretty late that Doug Ford issued an order that prohibited staff from working at multiple care facilities - be it hospitals or long term. Sunnyside actually took that step weeks before Doug Ford issued any orders, which is probably one reason they've only had 4 staff cases so far and have manged to keep it that way.
Not enough, apparently. My understanding is, as I mentioned before, that cities like Kingston, London, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Windsor, Hamilton and some other places mandated training, PPE, and testing for all LTC and assisted retirement homes, regardless if they were government owned or for profit. Those cities went beyond what the province was suggesting and what the federal government was suggesting. They implemented 'best practices' while Canada's Chief Public Health Officer was still waiting for the science to answer the questions (in particular, the usefulness of masks in preventing the spread of the virus). All these cities ended up with zero to a few issues in those area's.
Now, due to the fact that it's not expected that residents of LTC homes and assisted retirement homes to contract covid-19 as they're not out and about visiting other countries or people from other countries, so they're low risk. As opposed to people that could come into the hospital with covid-19 like symptoms. Waterloo Region went with the best known science at the time: PPE for hospital workers and FR's in case they're in contact with someone that may have out of country, or if that someone came into contact with someone recently out of country (community transmission). And obviously you need to keep your nurses and doctors free from risk as much as possible, even if that particular science is missing (how much protection do masks offer?).
Because WR's Public Health Doctor was still declaring low risk, there wasn't much thought to workers, in particular, PSW's that works in this LTC's,. etc. So 'best practices' were ignored (due to lack of science). Obviously some workers at these home got covid-19 -- and without PPE as it was not mandated by the region, it ended up killing people.
Waterloo Region followed provincial guidelines and looked to the federal government for hints, but they didn't go above and beyond that -- as our public health doctor kept saying covid-19 was 'low risk' as recently as March 13. It was just after that when Trudeau said it was an issue that Waterloo Region followed suit with taking covid-19 seriously.
Perhaps one way we can look at it:
1) The Feds give guidelines or laws that we follow.
2) The province likewise can give extra guidelines and laws.
3) The local governments have to follow the above -- but they can adjust for local needs - including by-laws.
4) Private business can go above and beyond all recommendations and laws, etc.
By-laws can include having sufficient PPE for emergencies. And sufficient testing units available.
Many times the buck stops at the regional level as they need to ensure these homes are being inspected properly and thoroughly and have the needed tools.
I believe the worst performing cities/regions were Waterloo and Toronto. And I can guarantee that after this covid-19 is over, the public health in many cities will not exist the same way. It's really no different than what happened with the Walkerton e-coli outbreak. The province will download these things from cities and upload different work -- or at the very least, they're going to have a much more clear set of rules on how to handle these homes.
The next pandemic that occurs, guarantee the masks will be out right away.