Cluster of COVID Cases in Several Victorian Temporary Housing Facilities: Island Health

A top Island Health doctor confirmed on Friday that there were several clusters of COVID-19 cases in temporary housing in Victoria.

Dr. Richard Stanwix, Chief Medical Health Officer, said the case was not considered a full-blown outbreak, and adding clusters is surprising “given the amount of COVID circulating in the community.” is not it.

On Friday, the state reported 820 new cases of COVID-19, including 90 new cases on the island. Nine new deaths were reported on Friday, including one at Island Health.

Stanwix did not check the number of people infected in temporary housing or locations for privacy reasons, but recommended vaccination of vulnerable people.

“Whether you are a frail elderly person, whether you have other chronic health conditions, whether you are slightly at home, all populations with underlying health conditions have bad consequences. That’s why we use outreach teams because they tend to encourage individuals in this population to be immunized for their own benefit, “he says, and is currently circulating. We called the delta variant “a much stronger and more contagious virus than we expected.”

78% of eligible British Colombians over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated.

Island Health said it is working with outreach teams and affected facilities to ensure that infected residents are self-isolated and have access to food and other supplies and essentials.

BC Housing confirmed on Friday that residents of some sites on Vancouver Island had cases of COVID-19, but Island Health said it had asked them not to confirm the number of cases or the exact location.

State agencies are working with health authorities to say that all funding shelters have quarantine plans in case the COVID test is positive.

If the shelter cannot be quarantined, those who test positive will be transferred to a separate support housing unit, and BC Housing said support housing tenants who test positive will be quarantined in their own unit.

Since the pandemic began, BC Housing said it has worked with service providers to reduce shelter capacity and adopt other pandemic safety measures.

Julian Daly, secretary general of the Our Place Society, said he believes the uncontained population has escaped at this point in the pandemic.

“Unlike most Canadian cities, there have been no cases for a year and a half,” Daly said. “But I think the virus will eventually infect all communities.”

Uncontained people were one of the earliest groups to be immunized, given the number of people living in vulnerable or high-risk group environments.

For many, the Pandora Avenue Center is the only place they can go during the day, so Daily said our place would never shut down during a pandemic.

“And for more than 500 people, we run and manage their homes,” said Daily. “People live there.

“and, [converted] I think the hotel is in a particularly good condition in the sense that each has its own private room. “

Stanwix said the Our Place Society and others have played an important role in encouraging vaccination and finding people to book. Mr Daily said he believes that all or most of the staff in society are vaccinated.

At least 15 percent of the general population has chosen not to be fully immunized, according to Stanwix. Similarly, fully vaccinated people still have mild illness and can be infected with the virus.

Daily said it was a concern to see cases of highly infectious viruses. Many uncontained communities have an underlying health condition that makes them more susceptible to infections and serious illnesses.

“This is also a concern for homeless people, especially in open spaces where there are no shelters or homes to go to protect themselves from the virus, as it is often difficult to physically distance them,” Daly said. Says.

Our location states that it continues to implement the COVID-19 infection control protocol and requires those who have not yet been vaccinated to implement it immediately.

“We know that vaccination is most effective in preventing COVID infections, serious illnesses and almost certainly preventing death,” said Daily. “Island Health has set up vaccination clinics on our site. This is great and I know they are well accepted.”

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