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.

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."

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.