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Some positive news from Barclay House Retirement Residence parent company Chartwell regarding the COVID-19 outbreak declared by the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, Thursday.
"All residents are staying safely in their individual suite and those who have tested positive are doing well at this time and being actively monitored and supported as required.
"Confirmed cases are asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms only at this time and spirits are good," reads a statement from Chartwell.
In further analyzing the outbreak, the local medical officer of health acknowledges breakthrough cases are inevitable.
Despite the public health measures and a high uptake with the vaccines, "nothing is 100 per cent," advises Dr. Jim Chirico. "You're always going to get breakthrough cases but we know that these vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalizations, and deaths.
"Could [those outcomes] occur? Yes. This is the best protection that can be offered."
According to a Public Health Ontario report on breakthrough cases, "While vaccines provide a high degree of protection from COVID-19 infection, it is expected that a small proportion of vaccinated individuals may become infected as no vaccine is 100 per cent effective."
Chartwell "offers a wide spectrum of seniors housing choices from independent retirement residences to assisted living services and long-term care."
The company confirms 65 residents live in Barclay House, cared for by 26 staff members. Barclay House is a retirement residence, so residents are permitted visitors as well as community interactions as they wish under current government COVID-19 directives, according to Chartwell spokesperson Sharon Ranalli.
As of Friday morning, of those combined 91 individuals who live or work in Barclay House, 28 residents and two staff members are positive for COVID-19. There have been no deaths and the Health Unit confirms Friday afternoon one individual is currently in hospital.
The company's mandatory staff vaccination policy came into effect, October 12, and Chartwell reports the staff at Barclay House is 100 per cent vaccinated.
Third doses were offered, Sunday, October 31, and the Health Unit reports 58 were administered to eligible residents. The Health Unit says the initial outbreak case was detected, Nov. 2.
Health officials have used a two-week COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness buffer as a guideline for measures such as proof of vaccination. "Protection from COVID-19 infection does not occur immediately following vaccination. Immunity develops over time," also from Public Health Ontario.
According to Ranalli, resident vaccination rates will not be disclosed "out of respect for the privacy of individuals as retirement homes are their personal homes," although both the Health Unit and Chartwell have referred to the rate as being "extremely high."
Asked if a face covering policy exists at Barclay House, Ranalli notes there are no directives in Ontario that require retirement home residents to wear face masks in a retirement home.
"Our staff do wear masks at all times, as is Chartwell policy and government directive. Residents are encouraged to wear masks in common area spaces outside their suite (when not eating or drinking) and residents are strongly encouraged to wear masks when receiving care and service from staff members."
And, when residents leave the retirement home, they are provided with, and reminded to, wear a mask, maintain physical distancing and be mindful of proper hand hygiene.
Chirico says the Health Unit has received the utmost cooperation from Chartwell and Barclay House in addressing the outbreak with heightened infection prevention and control measures.
Dr. Carol Zimbalatti, public health physician with the Health Unit notes "this is a population that has been identified as having 'waning immunity,' and has been a priority in getting third doses in. That is why the retirement home residents were able to get the third dose because they are a priority population.
"We don't anticipate that in other healthy individuals that have been double-vaccinated, there is a severe waning of immunity from the vaccines, at this point."
Case and contact management is ongoing. Due to the nature of the outbreak and the sheer number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 the Health Unit expects the number of high-risk contacts to surpass 100.
Health officials stress it is very important that individuals who have not been contacted by the Health Unit, but were at the residence between October 20 and November 3 monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and self-isolate immediately if they feel unwell, then arrange to be tested.
