Restrictions on visits lifted at West Van's Inglewood Care Centre

Restrictions on visits and outings put in place at West Vancouver’s Inglewood Care Centre after a staff member tested positive for COIVD have now been lifted.

Family visits to residents of the long-term care home resumed over the weekend.
No outbreak was declared at the seniors home but visits were restricted for a week under “enhanced surveillance” after the staffer recently tested positive for the virus.

It’s the second time a staff member at Inglewood has tested positive for COVID following a vaccination drive at the care home, despite 94 per cent of residents and “many” staff at the care home receiving two doses of vaccine, beginning in January.

There was no information about whether either the first or second staff member to test positive had been vaccinated. The North Shore News has requested the percentage of staff who have been vaccinated, but that has not been provided.

Recently, Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s medical health officer, discussed the number of “breakthrough” cases of COVID-19 that have been reported in people after vaccination. Henry said since December, there have been 1,340 cases of COVID reported in those who had their first doses of vaccine at least three weeks prior – about 1.7 per cent of cases. There were also 120 cases in people who had had two doses of vaccine.

According to the information presented by Henry, “breakthough” cases of COVID infection after vaccination were much more likely among those over 80 years old than they were among younger age groups.

ORIGINAL STORY MAY 19

A staff member at Inglewood Care Centre in West Vancouver has tested positive for COVID-19, the second time a staff member has contracted the virus since vaccination of staff and residents began in January at the care home.

No outbreak has been declared at the seniors home, but social visits from family members have been cancelled as a precaution.

Family members were informed of the latest COVID case in an email over the weekend.

Most residents and staff at the seniors home received COVID vaccines earlier this year, beginning with a first dose Jan. 6.

But a month later, one staff member contracted the virus.

There was no information about whether either the first or second staff members to test positive had been vaccinated.

According to both Baptist Housing and Vancouver Coastal Health, 94 per cent of residents at Inglewood and “many” of the staff have been vaccinated, with two doses of the vaccine. The North Shore News has requested the percentage of staff who have been vaccinated, but that has not been provided.

Staff are required to follow all infection control protocols whether or not they have received the vaccine.

Last week, Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s medical health officer, discussed the number of “breakthrough” cases of COVID-19 that have been reported in people after vaccination. Henry said since December, there have been 1,340 cases of COVID reported in those who had their first doses of vaccine at least three weeks prior – about 1.7 per cent of cases. There were also 120 cases in people who had had two doses of vaccine.

Of those who contracted the virus after being vaccinated, 141 people were hospitalized with 13 people ending up in ICU. Thirty people who got COVID after vaccination died. The average age of those who died of COVID following vaccination was 87, said Henry.

According to the information presented by Henry, “breakthough” cases of COVID infection after vaccination were much more likely among those over 80 years old than they were among younger age groups.

As in the February case of a staffer who tested positive for COVID, Inglewood is operating under “enhanced surveillance” rather than outbreak protocols, at the direction of the medical health officer.

According to Vancouver Coastal Health, one case of COVID-19 in a staff member is no longer automatically considered an “outbreak” – in part because of the restrictions that are put on both families and residents when an outbreak is declared.

In February, Henry described the high uptake of the vaccine among staff and residents at long-term care homes as “a protective buffer.” Having the vast majority of people in long-term care vaccinated creates a form of “herd immunity” within the care home, she said then. “So if there's a small number of people who are not immunized and if it's a health-care worker, and they do become infected, the chances of them passing it on to any of the residents is now much, much lower because the residents themselves are protected.”