Staff 'Santa' at Windsor care facility suffering COVID-19 outbreak broke PPE protocol, home says

The Village at St. Clair, along-term care facility in Windsor facing a major COVID-19 outbreak with two deaths, is expressing regret over arecentincident where astaff member dressed as Santa Claus interacted with residents without a mask.

The incident appears to have happened after the outbreak in the home had begun.

In a letter to families, the home apologizes for the incident and lapse in personal protective equipment, but also says that the staff member who dressed as Santa has since tested negative for COVID-19 and so have the affected residents, aside from one pending test.

The apology comes as 61 residents and 44 staff members have tested positive for the virus, the home said in a letter.

Seventeen new cases have been reported since Tuesday evening, when the home reported 88 cases among residents and staff.

On the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit's(WECHU) website101 cases are reported,with 61residents and 40 staff.

With dozens of staff off work, the home is scrambling to bring in additional workers from a variety of sources to care for the residents.

NDP MPPfor Windsor West Lisa Gretzkyfiled a formal request to the provincial government demanding that they take control of the home.

Santa visit apology

In a statement Thursday from the home, it discussed theSanta incident and said"while this is a hard-working and dedicated employee who had the best of intentions while providing holiday cheer, we have a zero tolerance for breaking our PPE rules. Disciplinary action is being taken and re-education of all team members on proper PPE requirements is underway."

The facility's policy is that anyone other than the residents must wear proper PPEwhen inthe home.

"We have no tolerance for anyone breaking this rule," stated Joanne Potts, a regional vice-president of operations for home operatorSchlegel Villages in a letter to families."We sincerely regret the added worry this causes our residents, families and team members."

The home said it is still getting results from an initial round of testing and will be conducting another round of testing on Friday.

Photos posted to the facility's Facebook page, which have since been deleted, show residents posing in photos directly next to aman in a Santa costume. A posting to the facility's events calendar suggests the event was held on Dec. 9, a day after the outbreak was declared.

Neither the employee nor the residents are wearing masks in the images.

When asked about the incident during the health unit's regular briefing, WECHU CEO Theresa Marentettesaid she couldn't comment on the case specifically but when an outbreak is declared, itaffects building activities as well as who can enter the building.

"I can't comment on that specific incident but in an outbreak that would not be allowed," she said.

Home says it is recruiting more staff

In a statement to CBC News Thursday, the VP of people at Schlegel Villages Christy Parsons said that the home has brought in staff from a variety ofsources to fill the vacancies of staff who are self-isolating, including:

• Acquiring registered nursing support on infection prevention and control from Hotel-Dieu hospital.
• Onboarding three staff members from the local health integration network.
• Hiring 25 full-time agency staff to fill personal support worker, registered practical nurseand registered nurse roles.
• Bringing in seven support office team members.

Parsons said they are also offering all staff a hotel room to self-isolate from their families and providing staff with all the appropriate PPE, including goggles, gloves, gowns, masks, face shields and N-95 masks.

"Staff do not have to sign a waiver to get any PPE," the statement reads.

Earlier this week, president Tulio DiPonti of Local Unifor 2458, which represents workers at the facility, told CBC News that workers were being asked to sign a waiver to say they understood that the mask may not properly fit their faces.

In Gretzky's letter to Premier Doug Ford, she also states that workers were being told to sign a waiver that releases the home "of responsibility and liability if they fail to fit properly."

She says she wants Ford to provide proper PPE, staffing support and to "issue orders along with penalties to the company for any noncompliance."

Ministry of long-term care says help is on site

On Dec. 14, days after the home entered outbreak, the home said it met with its designated hospital team, "who confirmed all of the protocols and PPE available are meeting requirements," a news release from The Village states.

The Ministry of Long-Term Care told CBC News in an emailed statement Thursday that it has local public health inspectors, three physicians, along with agency nursing and personal support workers on site.

It said it is taking concerns from the community and staff "very seriously" and that it has "been in regular contact with the home" during the outbreak.

"Together, we are taking action to support the homes to improve infection prevention and control measures, shore up staffing and ensure adequate supplies of PPE," the statement reads.

Second resident dies at care home

In the same letter to families, the facility announced the death of asecond resident who previously tested positive for the virus.

"Our deepest sympathy is extended to their family, friends and loved ones," statesthe letter

"Here in the village, we are working hard to ensure the well-being of all our residents and the team members who support them."

The first death associated with the outbreakwas announced on Wednesday.