A South Surrey woman whose mom is among nearly three dozen seniors who have been on lock-down since mid-September is questioning why 害羞草研究所� more than 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic 害羞草研究所� a system hasn害羞草研究所檛 been devised to reduce the impact of quarantine measures on locked-down care-home residents who continue to test negative for the virus.

害羞草研究所淓ven though my mom has tested negative week over week over week, she害羞草研究所檚 still in jail and will be until there are no more cases for two weeks,害羞草研究所� Leanne Thain said Friday (Oct. 22).

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been very grim.害羞草研究所�

Thain said her mom, 81, hasn害羞草研究所檛 been able to leave her room in Westminster House害羞草研究所檚 complex-care unit (at 1653 140 St.) since a COVID-19 outbreak was declared on Sept. 13 after three staff members tested positive. As per established protocols, outside visits, occupational therapy, baths and social activities all were halted, as was even such simple basics as eating with regular dishware and cutlery.

She said she filed a complaint with Fraser Health regarding the continuing conditions not to target the facility 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淚 know they害羞草研究所檙e doing their best害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� but rather as a last resort to shed some light on the impacts and advocate for those affected.

She害羞草研究所檚 also hopeful that her mom害羞草研究所檚 story will help persuade people who may have been on the fence about getting the vaccine that it is in the best interest of all.

害羞草研究所淧eople need to understand what is going on on the inside when we have these outbreaks,害羞草研究所� Thain said. 害羞草研究所淢aybe it would help them get vaccinated or feel like, yeah, we don害羞草研究所檛 want to have people live like this.害羞草研究所�

Fraser Health officials said Monday (Oct. 25) that over the course of the past six weeks, there have been a total of 24 positive tests at the site 害羞草研究所� 16 residents and eight staff 害羞草研究所� and two deaths.

Facility owner Gord McNaughton said that every time the outbreak appeared to be ending, a new positive case would restart the two-week quarantine clock. He害羞草研究所檚 hoping for better news out of tests that were conducted Oct. 25.

If those results are all negative, 害羞草研究所渢hen we害羞草研究所檙e free,害羞草研究所� he said Monday.

Thain said she questioned for weeks why COVID-positive patients in the affected unit couldn害羞草研究所檛 be separated from those who were negative, to help contain the spread.

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McNaughton said he felt the idea had merit, but when he asked Fraser Health 害羞草研究所� whose guidelines all licenced facilities in this region must follow 害羞草研究所� if the most recent positive case could be moved to a hospital, the answer was a firm no.

害羞草研究所淥ur hands are tied in terms of decisions we can and can害羞草研究所檛 make,害羞草研究所� McNaughton said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e totally against it.害羞草研究所�

He wonders if, had the last two positive cases been transferred, 害羞草研究所渕aybe this thing would害羞草研究所檝e been over earlier.害羞草研究所�

Fraser Health has said that the protocols being followed for each outbreak in the region are 害羞草研究所渂est practices害羞草研究所� that have been evolved over the course of the pandemic under the guidance of the provincial health officer, and are in place 害羞草研究所渇or the greater good.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a pandemic, there害羞草研究所檚 people in the facility that have tested positive,害羞草研究所� a spokesperson for the health authority said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e trying to prevent the spread, this is the best way to do it until we害羞草研究所檙e certain it害羞草研究所檚 not spreading any more.害羞草研究所�

Measures implemented by the health authority at the outset to contain and curb spread of the virus, according to a Sept. 14 news release, included supporting staffing levels; restricting social visits; modifying staff and resident movement to minimize exposure; enhanced cleaning; notification of residents, families and staff; and twice-daily screening of staff and residents.

Thain said the support has fallen short of meeting the isolated residents害羞草研究所� needs, noting her mother went three weeks without a hair wash before a medical exemption that enabled her to have baths was granted.

McNaughton agreed the past six weeks have been difficult.

害羞草研究所淩esidents in quarantine is not good,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he virus is one thing, but the boredom and loneliness is another.害羞草研究所�

He said the residents害羞草研究所� doors were left open and that staff in full PPE (personal protective equipment) were in and out of the rooms frequently. He noted that Thain害羞草研究所檚 mother had been taken for some short one-on-one walks, however, inclement weather of recent weeks has stymied that.

The Fraser Health staffing support was appreciated, McNaughton added, but not enough. Overtime at the residence has been four times what it normally is, and 害羞草研究所渙ur staff are exhausted.害羞草研究所� He noted that no staff were displaced due to being unvaccinated, however, booster shots for the residents arrived later than expected 害羞草研究所� delivered in the midst of the outbreak, rather than in August.

Thain reiterated that her criticisms are not directed at the facility itself; that her main focus is to advocate for her mom and the other residents.

But so far, those efforts have been to no avail. In addition to Fraser Health and Westminster House officials, she害羞草研究所檚 connected with the office of the seniors害羞草研究所� advocate and Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford.

害羞草研究所淚t just doesn害羞草研究所檛 seem like anyone can help,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 heartbreaking that while the Canucks are going to have a full arena tonight (Oct. 26), and yet my mom who害羞草研究所檚 triple-vaccinated is not able to get out of her room in a nursing home.害羞草研究所�