What you need to know
- The outbreaks declared on January 15, 2022, for lodges A2 and B3 at Veterans Memorial Lodge are now over. Thank you for your support as we worked diligently to keep everyone as safe as possible on these two lodges.
- Island Health declared an outbreak at Veterans Memorial Lodge on February 1, 2022, on lodge A1 (Olympic View).
- The outbreak on lodge A3 continues.
- Please visit our Care Home COVID-19 Updates webpage for the most up to date information.
- In light of Dr. Bonnie Henry’s announcement yesterday during the COVID-19 briefing, we want to let you know we are developing a safety plan that will enable single designated social visitors to continue visiting during an outbreak.
We understand the importance of social visits, and are working to balance this with the safety of the people who live and work with us. We are awaiting new guidance from the BCCDC, and will let you know as soon as we are able to welcome single designated social visitors on A1 and A3 lodges.
N95 Masks
We have received a number of enquiries about whether we are using N95 masks in our Care Homes, and would like to share some information with you.
What is an N95 mask?
An N95 respirator is a protective mask designed to achieve a very close fit on the face. The edges of the respirator are designed to form a seal around the nose and mouth, which requires fit testing for each mask.
When are N95 masks required?
N95 masks are only recommended for procedures that can create airborne particles, such as intubation, airway suctioning, or medication given through a nebulizer.
The only procedure that applies to long term care is giving medication through a nebulizer. At the very beginning of the pandemic, all long term care homes recognized the potential for airborne transmission, and immediately made changes to eliminate the use of nebulized or aerosol medications, working together with our pharmacy team. As a result, we have not used nebulized medication for two years.
This means there is no medical requirement at this time for N95 masks in any of our Care Homes. We continue to monitor the situation and to follow the direction of our Provincial Medical Health Officer and Island Health.
What you can do
- Thank you to those of you who sent messages to our hard working team members. We cannot say enough about the amazing people who work with us. It is their diligence, kindness, compassion, and skill that provides care for your loved ones. We have shared the messages of thanks you have sent, and invite you to use our Keep Connected webpage to send messages of thanks and support to them. It gives them a boost to hear from you!
- We also invite you to use this page to send messages, photos, or videos to your loved one. These will be shared with them as soon as possible.
The safety of the people who live and work with us is at the forefront of all we do. The appropriate use of PPE, following all infection control procedures, and your support, will help us reduce the impact of the Omicron variant on our Care Homes. We are grateful for the many ways you continue to help us keep everyone safe, and for your very kind words for our team members.