The results are in for the latest round of testing at the Drew Nursing Home, and there’s good news: there are no new cases of COVID-19 in residents or staff as of Tuesday, October 12. Another round of testing is happening today at the home.
The previous round of testing at the Drew (on Friday, October 8) yielded just one positive case. In a memo to families on Thursday night, executive director Linda Shannon writes that if all results remain negative for the next round, Public Health may declare the outbreak over as early as next Friday, October 22.
“Once this outbreak is over, we will slowly and cautiously start moving towards our new normal,” writes Shannon.
There is just one remaining active case of COVID-19 at the Drew. Ten staff people tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered from their cases, along with 21 residents. Eight people passed away from the disease.
The Drew outbreak recently received coverage in the Globe and Mail, as journalist Karen Howlett looked at the situation in long term care homes across the country, focussing on New Brunswick.
Amy Johnson, a staff member at the Drew, told Howlett that despite the efforts of staff working long hours, the quality of care is suffering at the home. Residents are confined to their rooms, and services like laundry and meal delivery are slowing down as workers aim to cover shortages in other areas.
Shannon told Howlett that the outbreak seemed to have come from a “perfect storm” of waning protection from vaccinations of residents, and a more contagious variant of the virus finding its way into the home, via an unvaccinated staff member.
As of November 19, all staff working in long term care homes will need to be fully vaccinated, according to a provincial rule announced October 5. Until then, Shannon says, unvaccinated staff will continue to be tested regularly.
Shannon says the Drew is still waiting on dates for the rollout of booster shots for long term care residents, which were announced at the end of September. The plan is to administer COVID-19 booster shots alongside the annual flu vaccine, which is available now at pharmacies and primary health clinics.
