COVID-19 claims 23 residents at Banwell Gardens Care Centre

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“(Banwell Gardens) did pretty good in the sense of providing the (personal protective equipment) for people right from the onset, for people to go in and do their job, and do it safely,” said Tullio DiPonti.

“For whatever reason, it still got to some of our members.”

Speaking about long-term care homes in general, DiPonti said such facilities need to hire more staff to prepare for a possible third wave of infections.

Understaffing had been an issue at facilities across the province before the pandemic struck, and COVID-19 exacerbated the problem when staff contracted the virus or were exposed to it, forcing them to stay home for 14 days with few people left to cover vacant shifts.

Fox said Banwell Gardens now has “better tools and resources” available to it, such as rapid COVID-19 testing and the Moderna vaccine. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit continues to deliver follow-up second doses of the vaccine to long-term care and retirement home residents, staff, and essential caregivers who have already received the initial jab.

The province is expected to deliver a second shipment of doses to the health unit in the coming days.

“We remain vigilant in all our infection prevention and control measures,” said Fox. Those measures include regular testing, twice-daily screening of staff and residents for signs of COVID-19, and isolating residents to their rooms.

“Staff are wearing full personal protective equipment at all times, which is well-stocked in the home.”