Dear Resident/Family,  Manitoba continues to pursue the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program for residents in personal care homes, given the particular vulnerability of our resident population. Vaccination is one of the many tools in place to prevent COVID-19 transmission that is being implemented in addition to the many other precautions we have put in place over the past year to protect your loved one. While we understand the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to be approximately 95 per cent effective after 7-14 days following the second dose, we do not yet know much about how long protection lasts or whether vaccinated [...]

Dear Families, There are no active resident cases in the home presently.  There have been 126 residents test positive for COVID-19, 95 residents have recovered and sadly 31 residents have passed away. There are no active staff cases and 55 recovered.  There are currently no units in isolation. The home is still considered to be in outbreak and we are hopeful the resolution of our outbreak will occur in the near future.   The indoor visitation rooms are open and visits for designated family caregivers are occurring seven days a week.  Designated family caregivers can only visit one at a [...]

Dear Families, The last resident that tested positive has been determined to have been previously asymptomatically recovered from COVID-19 as per the experts in infectious diseases and the regional infection prevention and control team.  This will shorten the time until our outbreak can be potentially considered resolved.   There are no active resident cases in the home presently.  There have been 126 residents test positive for COVID-19, 95 residents have recovered and sadly 31 residents have passed away.  Our prayers are with all of the residents for their ongoing recovery. There have been no additional staff test positive.  There are no [...]

Dear Families, Late last week we learned a resident who was transferred to the hospital tested positive when receiving a rapid test on admission.  There have been 126 residents test positive, 93 recover and sadly 31 residents have passed away.  Our prayers are with all of the residents for their ongoing recovery. There have been no additional staff test positive.  There is one active staff case and 54 recovered.  We wish the staff person a speedy recovery. Today was an exciting day at Holy Family Home with the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine for most of our residents and the initial [...]

Dear Families, We have had no further positive residents or staff.  There is one active resident case and 1 active staff case presently.  There have been a total of 125 residents test positive for COVID-19 and sadly 31 residents have passed away.  Our prayers are with all of the residents for their ongoing recovery.  The second dose vaccine immunization day at the home for residents is February 16, 2021.  Appointments for eligible staff are again available and staff are being strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.   Planning is underway at the home to implement asymptomatic rapid testing for staff in [...]

Dear Families, We are sad to share we learned of another positive staff member.  Contact tracing has been completed and it does not indicate it was contracted at the home.  This floor is now in isolation and will be for 14 days.  The families of the residents on the impacted floor were all contacted directly.  This will not impact the vaccine administration scheduled for February 16, 2021. We will be working with WRHA to determine the date for resolution of the outbreak at the home.   Our thoughts are with this staff person for their recovery and safe return to [...]

Dear Families, Today, we received confirmation of a positive resident on one of the units which had not been previously impacted.  Phone calls have been made to all of the resident’s families of this unit to inform them directly.  Today marked the date the outbreak at Holy Family Home was to be considered resolved, and this very unfortunate news has changed this to again requiring 28 days without new cases for resolution.  Enhanced infection prevention and control protocols have been implemented, and contact tracing is underway. We are also sorry to share another resident who had recovered from the virus [...]

Dear Families, The vaccination of our residents was completed on January 25, 2021 with 93% of our residents receiving their initial dose.  Several of the residents who did not receive the immunization for a variety of reasons (e.g., currently in hospital, not feeling well that day, etc.) may receive their initial vaccine on February 16, 2021 when the second immunization is given in the home.  These residents will get their second dose at a later date yet to be determined.  We did have approximately 5% of residents and or their substitute decision-makers refuse the vaccine.  Despite the supply interruptions for [...]