Adrian Dix, minister of health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, announce that long-term care homes can again have visitors. (Photo: B.C. government.)
The big news this week is that B.C. opened up long term care homes to visitors after three and a half months of closures. Residents are allowed a single designated visitor in a single designated area. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says visiting will be expanded, as soon as it is safe to do so. If there is an outbreak – defined as a single case – in a facility, visits will not be allowed.
This is welcome news. The thought of elderly people being trapped inside, with no visits from family for months or even years is tragic. I’m sure some elderly people would become so lonely they might give up – stop eating or drinking – and die well before their times. But on the other hand, the risk of covid-19 spreading in long-term care homes from visitors is terrifying and could also cause many elderly people to die prematurely. Clearly, it’s a balancing act.
In B.C. alone, nearly 100 of the 177 covid-19 deaths have been in long-term care, Health Minister Adrian Dix said. Dr. Henry – who had noticeable emotion in her voice when speaking about allowing visitors – said “I will admit I am anxious, but I am also hopeful.”
Interestingly, Canada has the highest percentage of covid-19 deaths in long-term care of all Organization for Economic Development (OECD) countries, at 80 per cent, a Canadian Institute for Health Information report found.
The global average for long-term care deaths from covid-19 is 42 per cent, or basically half that of Canada. The rates of deaths in long-term care homes in OECD countries ranges from less than 10 per cent in Slovenia and Hungary to 66 per cent in Spain.
Workers in long-term care have also been hit hard in Canada, the CIHI report says. More than 9,650 long-term care staff members were infected by covid-19 by May 25, representing more than 10 per cent of the country’s total cases by that date. Nine of them died from covid-19.
As far as why a higher percentage of deaths in Canada were in long-term care homes, the CIHI report hints at a few reasons: first, the data is not exactly comparable between jurisdictions, second Canada’s long-term care population tends to be older, and there are fewer health care workers per 100 residents in Canada.
So, B.C. authorities are taking a chance by allowing visitors into long-term care homes, where residents are extremely vulnerable. However, the alternative – barring visitors for the foreseeable future – seems worse than the risk. Let’s hope the precautions are enough to stop any more outbreaks in long-term care.
Meanwhile, covid-19 continues to bring about massive change. Here’s my list for this week:
- More and more jurisdictions are mandating that people must wear masks in public, but B.C. has not taken this step. Dr. Bonnie Henry recommends wearing a mask on transit, in grocery stores and on airplanes, but does not think mandating masks is necessary. “Having said that, I do wear a mask myself and I encourage and I recommend, strongly, that others do as well when you’re in those situations,” Henry said. “There is no plan to mandate mask use here in B.C. at this time. If we end up in respiratory season with a surge, it may be become more directive.”
- The world passed 10 million cases and 500,000 deaths. Over the course of the week, the global total nearly reached 11 million cases, with the one-day total up to more than 200,000 new cases on July 2.
- Air Canada and Westjet announced they would start selling the middle seats on airplanes again.
- Canada’s gross domestic product fell 11.6 per cent in April, after falling 7.5 per cent in March, Statistics Canada reported. But preliminary data for May indicates a three per cent increase, so a rebound is possible.
- B.C. has the capacity to test about 7,000 people per day for covid-19 and is ramping up for twice or three times that capacity for the fall, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer.
- There was an “exposure event” at Brandi’s Exotic Show Lounge in Vancouver, where three people tested positive. Public Health has not been able to contact trace everyone present, Dr. Henry said, so they’ve put out a public alert for anyone who was there last week to self-isolate.
- Modelling provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada on June 29 shows the average age of a person who has tested positive in Canada is 51. That’s exactly the same in B.C. Women have tested positive more often than men (56 per cent to 44 per cent) across Canada, but in B.C. the ratio is 52 per cent to 48 per cent.
- The same national modelling says 8.3 per cent of the people who tested positive died, 15 per cent were admitted to hospital and 3.1 per cent were admitted to intensive care. In B.C., the death rate is six per cent and the hospitalization rate is 18 per cent. The average age of people who have died in B.C. is 85 years old.
- The federal modelling also shows where outbreaks have happened, particularly in closed and crowded settings. The main sites are long-term care homes, hospitals, correctional facilities, meat and poultry plants, agricultural settings, workplaces, shelters and social gatherings.
- Federal and provincial health officials agree: fast and thorough case detection, contact tracing and minimizing the number of contacts between people are the keys to limiting the spread of covid-19.
- The ban on foreign travellers entering Canada has been extended to at least July 31. The U.S. travel ban goes until July 21, although it may be extended.
- Canadians are now allowed to travel to European Union countries.
- The Vancouver Canadians baseball season is cancelled this year.
- Movie theatres have reopened in Vancouver, complete with reserved, staggered seating, masks and reduced prices. I haven’t braved on yet – let me know if you have.
- Some U.S. states are backtracking on their opening plans, based on increases in covid-19 cases.
- Canada Day celebrations were virtual this year.
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