British Columbia is demonstrating early success in “bending the curve” in long-term care, assisted living and independent living residences. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in B.C., there were 22 seniors’ care residences with active cases of COVID-19. As of today, there are only five care homes under an outbreak protocol.
In order to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19 in seniors’ care, the sector restricted non-essential visits and swiftly implemented the single site order that limits workers to one care site.
Earlier in May, Minister of Health Adrian Dix reported that there were over 500 care sites with multisite workers. On June 11th, Minister Dix provided an update that all but 10 of 503 care sites have fully implemented single-site staffing plans.
In terms of workers, over 48,000 staff are now committed to just one care site. Only one per cent of care staff – 383 workers – continue to work at more than one residence.
We thank B.C.’s seniors’ care providers, who along with government, health authorities and labour organizations, continue to work diligently to bend the curve of COVID-19 in our province.
