Twenty-three cases of COVID-19 have been identified in an outbreak at a long-term care centre in Kelowna where over 80 per cent of residents had been vaccinated, and 65 per cent of staff.
Interior Health says 20 residents and three staff have examined optimistic at the Cottonwoods Care Centre, which homes 221 beds.
Last week, 11 residents and two staff had examined optimistic, however the well being authority says the brand new cases introduced Monday don’t signify a single day spike in cases.
“Interior Health carried out broad surveillance testing late final week on asymptomatic residents and residents with gentle signs,” it acknowledged in a launch. “As anticipated, optimistic outcomes trickled in beginning late Friday since our final report.”
The authority says no new cases have been identified because the testing was accomplished.
Vaccines not obligatory for employees
Vaccines, whereas beneficial, aren’t required for care-home employees.
Thursday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry famous a sure share of the Cottonwoods staff was not accessible the primary time vaccines had been provided. Others had issues and “legit questions” in regards to the new vaccines that the province has labored to deal with, she stated.
Last week, B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie stated the problem of unvaccinated staff should be seemed at with different measures to maintain seniors secure.
“We are going to have to deal with this difficulty across the steadiness between the rights of employees, but additionally … our obligation to guard [seniors residents],” she stated.
Mackenzie additionally urged B.C. well being officers to extend testing of seniors’ care staff and residents, in order to establish early an infection. She says eight sufferers who examined optimistic had been asymptomatic, but posed an an infection threat.
She says because the outbreak was declared, extra Cottonwood staff have chosen to get vaccinated.
Active outbreaks in Interior B.C.
There are presently two different lively outbreaks in B.C.’s Interior in addition to the Cottonwoods outbreak.
The newest replace from Interior Health says the outbreak at the Kelowna General Hospital’s 5B unit has six cases, together with three sufferers and three staff.
The Florentine, a seniors residence in Merritt, has two resident cases regardless of 100 per cent of residents having obtained at least one vaccine shot as of Feb 15.
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