Progress and improvements continue today at the long-term care home to enhance safe care and support for residents and resolve the outbreak as quickly as possible.
COVID-19 Cases – as of January 5, 2021 at Tendercare LTC Home
There have been no new positive resident cases since December 29. While the lack of both new lab-confirmed cases and new symptomatic residents is certainly positive, it is possible that additional cases may be detected. We will obviously update you with any new information we receive.
Today there are 59 residents with active COVID cases in the home and 53 residents with resolved cases, indicating that it has been 10 days since their lab test confirming COVID-19 and the individual is no longer showing COVID-19 symptoms.
Also today, 68 staff have resolved cases and 37 have returned to work at the home with more returning in the coming days. At this time, 18 staff members have COVID-19 and are isolating at home.
Since yesterday, we are sad to report that four (4) residents have passed away from COVID-19. The total number of individuals who have died from COVID-19 during the outbreak is 68.
Staffing
Staffing has been above baseline since January 1 for all categories including PSWs, nursing (RNs and RPNs) housecleaning, dietary and other staff to meet current patient care needs on all units. There continues to be very good physician coverage in the home. The ratio of staff to residents is higher than it was before the December outbreak at the long-term care home as these additional staff are required to meet the clinical and personal care needs of the residents with COVID-19.
The goal continues to be to retain consistent, ongoing staff who are familiar with the residents. In this respect, good progress is being made, with 37 Tendercare frontline staff members returning to work so far and more expected in the coming days.
All new and returning staff are educated and re-educated on all infection prevention and control and safe resident care practices, to ensure all long-term care home standards are met.
One of the most difficult aspects of the COVID outbreak at Tendercare and in homes across the province and elsewhere is understanding why residents die despite very significant improvements in infection prevention and control practices and high levels of clinical care.
As explained by Dr. Kevin Katz, Medical Director for Infection Prevention and Control at North York General Hospital, the incubation period for COVID-19 is up to 14 days. That means that even in the best-case scenario where additional effective measures were perfectly put in place on day one, additional cases are expected for nearly two weeks from when these enhanced infection and control measures were put in place. There was widespread transmission at Tendercare during the third and fourth week in December just prior to NYGH becoming significantly involved.
The natural course of infection is for people to have mild symptoms for the first 7 to 10 days. Beyond that point, some residents resolve their infection while others have complications and pass away despite the heroic efforts of health professionals.
Vaccination of Tendercare residents and staff
NYGH is working with Toronto Public Health to confirm the date that Tendercare residents, health care workers and essential caregivers will be vaccinated as part of the Ontario Government’s vaccination roll out in LTC homes over the next few weeks.
For more information contact:
Janine Hopkins
Chief Communications Officer