COVID-19 outbreaks at 7 N.B. long-term care homes after mask mandate for employees lifted

At least seven New Brunswick long-term care homes have active COVID-19 outbreaks, just weeks after the Department of Social Development lifted masking requirements for all employees in long-term-care homes.

But the total number of outbreaks since mandatory masking was removed, how many people have been infected, and the breakdown of residents versus staff are unclear.

"As of June 1, there are seven long-term-care facilities that have self-reported as being in an outbreak," spokesperson Rebecca Howland said Friday.

This does not include any homes with 10 or fewer residents, which are no longer required to report outbreaks to the province, according to "living with COVID" guidance issued by the department in February. "Outbreaks will no longer be declared within these facilities," the document says.

At a larger home, an outbreak is usually declared when there are two or more cases and when transmission from within the home has not been ruled out, according to the Department of Health.

Outbreaks 'self-managed' by long-term care sector

When asked to provide detailed COVID statistics, Howland replied, "The Department of Social Development currently monitors outbreaks by start date and end date."

Asked to clarify whether the department no longer keeps track of numbers, she said the data collected on outbreaks is "self-managed by the long-term care sector."

"Once a facility advises the COVID Response Team they are in an outbreak, a survey is sent. The long-term-care facility is to complete the survey twice to report the start and end date of their outbreak."

Calls for return of mask mandate

A Saint John man whose parents live in a city nursing home is calling on the province to bring back the mask mandate to protect people most vulnerable to severe outcomes from COVID.

Jon Osborne described the abrupt policy change as short-sighted and said he's angry and worried.

"I think it's just a matter of time until every nursing home has" an outbreak, he said.

On May 8, Social Development informed long-term-care homes the mandate for staff to continuously wear masks inside was being removed.

Horizon and Vitalité health networks both dropped their continuous masking requirement for patients and staff at their health centres the same day, with a few exceptions.

"We need to protect the most vulnerable people, the people most likely to die," said Osborne. "And that's seniors, that's my mom and dad," who are both immunocompromised.

Lorraine Osborne, 76, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and gastrointestinal problems. Gary Osborne, 76, who was paralyzed from a viral infection while his son was in high school, regained his mobility, but still lacks feeling in most of his legs, has three blockages in his heart, and was on a ventilator for six weeks during a 120-day hospital stay earlier in the pandemic.

Jon Osborne says both parents are already suffering long-term effects from contracting the COVID virus during an outbreak at the Village, part of Loch Lomond Villa, last December. Although they fared fairly well with the infection itself, his mother's memory problems have gotten worse and his father mostly only gets out of bed for meals now. The rest of the time he's sleeping, Osborne said.

'Can't be reactive to an airborne virus'

Family members continue to mask when they visit, but it's stressful because they know one-way masking isn't as safe, and it's confusing for his parents. "We have to explain every time why we're still wearing masks, and the staff aren't or no one else coming to visit is," he said.

One family member who recently completed chemotherapy can't visit anymore because they're too at-risk without universal masking, said Osborne. "So the no-masking policy has really kind of destroyed our family."

Osborne contends the province "can't be reactive to an airborne virus," and he has contacted Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard, who is his MLA, as well as Kelly Lamrock, New Brunswick's seniors' advocate.

"Once it's there, it's already there and it can be there anywhere from four to five days before you even realize it's there …so it's already being spread," he said.

Standards manual stipulates prevention

Being reactive also seems contrary to the department's own standards manual from January, which states: "All nursing homes shall establish and maintain an infection prevention and control program that provides a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and helps to prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections."

"That's the key part, 'prevent the development,'" said Osborne. "So when people tell me, 'Oh well, if an outbreak occurs, we'll put masks back on. If staffing gets critical, we'll put masking back on.' That's great, but that's reactionary.

"And what we need to save seniors' lives is preventive medicine, which is ensuring that masking is brought back to all long-term care and hospital facilities. Otherwise it's too late."

'Terrible decision'

Cecile Cassista, the executive director for the Coalition For Seniors And Nursing Home Residents' Rights, is also urging the government to reconsider.

"It's a terrible decision … to place our elderly in that kind of a situation, unprotected," she said. "COVID is still with us, hasn't gone away, and we still need to continue to, you know, be on safeguard.

"These are people that have low immune systems and we need to be cautious and protect them."

Masks still available

The Department of Social Development did not respond to a request for an interview with Shephard about what feedback the department has received, whether a return to masking is being considered, or what circumstances would prompt a reversal.

But Howland, the department spokesperson, said masks remain "readily available for staff, visitors and residents who wish to continue with masking or wish to have care provided to them by staff who are masked."

Personal protection equipment also remains available if isolation precautions are required for a symptomatic resident or in case of an outbreak, she said.

Social Development continues to work with Public Health to monitor the risks, and the mask mandate may be reimposed "should provincial evidence indicate the need," she added without elaborating.

The office of the seniors' advocate did not respond to a request for an interview.

New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes CEO Julie Weir said Thursday she was unavailable for an interview.

Several cases at Saint John home 

Carleton-Kirk Lodge nursing home in Saint John is among those dealing with a COVID outbreak. It has several cases of the virus, according to a notice posted on its Facebook page.

"We have decided to close our doors to all visitors effective immediately," the Wednesday post says. "This is necessary to try and stop the spread."

There were no details about how many residents or employees at the 70-bed home are infected, or when the outbreak began.

A barbecue for residents and staff was expected to proceed as scheduled Wednesday, according to the post.

Carleton-Kirk Lodge officials did not respond to a request for an interview.

Hosted 'prom night' for residents after masks removed

Ten days ago, the home held a "prom night" for residents, family members and friends, with dancing, photos and refreshments.

The goal, according to a Facebook post, was an event where everyone could "forget about their problems and just have fun.

"We definitely accomplished that goal," the post says. "The room was full and the dance floor was packed!"

'Big news,' 'lots of happy staff'

In a post the day mandatory masking was lifted, Carleton-Kirk called it "big news" but asked people not to visit if they had cold or flu symptoms, and encouraged them to mask if they felt unwell.

"We want to continue to keep the residents healthy and our doors open to visitors. Let's work together to keep our home symptom free!"

Loch Lomond Villa, which has 90 beds in its main building, 100 beds across the street in the Village, as well as three independent living apartment buildings, also welcomed the news.

"We wondered whether this day would ever come!!!" it said on Facebook. "Needless to say, there were lots of happy staff today and the residents were happy to see our smiles after a long three years."