COVID-19 Update Feb 23, 2021: Updated Vaccine Eligibility

Hello everyone,

I am pleased to share that the outbreak at Seasons Welland was rescinded last week by Niagara Region Public Health. We are currently dealing with two outbreaks. For our staff, residents and families at Seasons Camrose and Seasons Clarington, please refer to your site-specific updates and communication for current outbreak protocols and restrictions in place at your homes.

Seasons Camrose in Alberta. Another week has passed with zero new cases at Seasons Camrose. We continue to have zero staff or resident cases of COVID-19 at this time. If things continue along this positive trajectory, it is our hope that the outbreak will be declared over within a week or so.

Seasons Clarington in Ontario. Two resident cases of COVID-19 are now considered recovered. This means we have just one active case of COVID-19 in the Memory Care area of our community. Our two staff cases are now considered recovered as well, which means we have zero staff cases.

Memory Care staff and residents were re-tested this past weekend, and we are awaiting those results.

Ontario. For information on what phase your region falls into, visit their website. The Retirement Home Regulatory Authority (RHRA) has a scenario matrix for visiting retirement communities. Please visit their website for information on the current visitor and resident absence directive. Just a reminder that outbreak protocol supersedes the zoned approach to visits/absences, as outlined in the RHRA scenario matrix.

This week, our Ontario residences fall into the following zones:

• Grey: Seasons Welland
• Red: Seasons Amherstburg, Seasons Royal Oak Village, Seasons Belle River, Seasons Strathroy, Seasons Stoney Creek, Seasons Clarington, Seasons Cambridge, Seasons St. Thomas, Seasons Milton
• Orange: Seasons Brantford, Seasons Dufferin Centre
• Yellow: Seasons Owen Sound

Alberta. For more information on the status in Alberta, visit their website.

As I have noted in my previous memos, there are new COVID variants present in Ontario and Alberta that are proving to be even easier to transmit. As a result, we know we need to be extra vigilant with our infection prevention and control (IPAC) protocols in order to ensure the health of our staff and residents.

We continue to ask all residents to:

• Self-isolate for 14 days if you did not follow provincial requests to remain on-site, instead choosing to visit with friends and/or family at another household, especially where infection prevention and control protocols were not followed
• Wear a mask continuously when you are not in your suite
• Practice good hand hygiene and physical distancing
• If you feel unwell, report it immediately to a Seasons Team Member We continue to ask all Designated Visitors to:
• Review our infection prevention and control training tools as required monthly
• Not visit a Seasons Community for 14 days if you visited with family and/or friends from another household within the last week
• Wear a mask continuously while visiting a Seasons resident (this means not eating or drinking while you are visiting)
• Practice good hand hygiene and physical distancing
• If, after your visit, you become symptomatic or are notified that you had close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual, please contact Seasons immediately

Onsite Rapid Testing. We are finalizing plans for Onsite Rapid Testing Clinics for team members as per provincial directives. There will be a phased approach to rolling this out, and we hope to be able to include designated family/caregiver & support persons as soon as feasible. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available.

COVID-19 Vaccine. As I noted last week, both Ontario and Alberta have set mandates to finish vaccinating all remaining residents in congregate living settings such as retirement residences. Residents are priority for vaccination and the prescribed schedule for 21-28 days for the second dose. However, staff (and designated essential caregivers where they have been allowed to participate) are being pushed to anywhere from 35 – 42 days. Just a reminder that Seasons does not coordinate these dates, they are set by Public Health and/or Alberta Health Services. As soon as we are informed of the dates, we will advise all stakeholders; please keep in mind that sometimes we get very little notice.

Alberta Vaccination Eligibility & Clinic Dates:

As we roll out the vaccines to more Seasons communities, we must remain vigilant. The immunity provided by the vaccine is not fully effective until after the second dose is administered, and even that dose does not guarantee immediate efficacy. Even if a resident has received two doses, visitors must continue to follow our protocols including health screening, continuous masking, good hand hygiene and physical distancing.

Thank you all for your cooperation. We know that it takes the collective effort of our staff, residents and families to keep our communities safe from COVID-19. We will not tolerate any individual who puts our communities’ safety at risk. Failure to comply with safety protocols may result in restrictions on residents and those who wish to visit them. When it comes to our team members, we will not hesitate to discipline or terminate anyone for occupational health and safety risks created by team member choices and actions.

Please rest assured that Seasons Retirement Communities remains focused on the health and safety of our staff and residents. We know you have many choices for where you choose to live or work; thank you for choosing Seasons. We take our responsibility to you very seriously.

Sincerely,

LeighAnne Voll
Chief Operating Officer,
Seasons Retirement Communities

For additional online resources for COVID-19 you can visit the following sites:

Canada Health
Alberta Health
Alberta Health Services
Public Health Ontario
Retirement Home Regulatory Authority