Scarborough long-term care home battles COVID-19 outbreak with 46 residents testing positive

Forty-six residents at a Scarborough long term care home are infected with COVID-19 and the facility says families will have to visit their loved ones though windows this Thanksgiving weekend.

Extendicare Scarborough, located at 3830 Lawrence Ave. E., said the majority of residents who have tested positive have either very mild symptoms or are asymptomatic but they will have to remain in their rooms.

To control the spread of the virus, the home is following outbreak protocols provided by Toronto Public Health and the Ontario long-term care ministry, a spokesperson for the home said in an email on Thursday. 

"We understand this is concerning for families, and particularly difficult in the lead-up to a holiday when families plan to come together," the home's spokesperson said.

"Residents continue to be supported and monitored closely, and essential caregiver visitation remains ongoing, including welcoming these family members throughout the weekend for Thanksgiving, with a holiday meal planned on Monday." 

In a letter to families on Wednesday, the home said Toronto Public Health has said that all residents should remain in their rooms and residents will have to eat in their rooms, but one-on-one activities and physio programming will continue.

As for visits, registered essential caregivers are the only visitors permitted unless a resident is on palliative care. The home said its activity department will book window visits for residents able to wear a mask properly. Residents unable to wear a mask properly will have to have video calls in their rooms, the home said.

The home said a team from Scarborough Health Network was in the home on Wednesday to administer the bivalent vaccine to eligible residents. For those who are ineligible, a second clinic will be scheduled, the home said.

Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos, an associate teaching professor at Ontario Tech University, said the outbreak is unacceptable. 

"I think at this stage in the game, we should have figured out how to manage infection, prevention and control in these facilities," she said.

Stamatopoulos said she wonders if the homes in outbreak have enough staff, are providing sufficient and appropriate personal protection equipment, and training staff properly on infection, prevention and control. N95 masks should be mandated across the board for staff and residents, she said.

"How does it get to this point?" she said. 

She added that it's "terribly upsetting" that residents will have to stay in their rooms on a holiday weekend. She said it amounts to solitary confinement.

Stamatopoulos said she would like to ask Paul Calandra, Ontario's long-term care minister, what the province is doing to make sure long-term care homes in the province know how to manage an outbreak properly.