DIDSBURY - A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at the 58-resident Didsbury Aspen Ridge Lodge seniors facility on Feb. 27 after a staff member tested positive for the virus, says Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH) chief administrative officer Sam Smalldon.
The staff member involved last worked at the facility on Feb. 25, and tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 26. That staff member is isolating outside the facility.
Eleven lodge residents are now in quarantine in their rooms, and three staff members are not working and being tested, Smalldon said yesterday (March 1).
“We have now received those 11 residents’ swabs back negative,” he said. “They remain in quarantine until further notice.”
The other 47 residents have all been swabbed and MVSH is awaiting those results, he said.
“If this progresses with no positive cases inside the facility, the outbreak will continue until March 12,” he said. “March 12 is the 15th day after the time that the staff member last worked.”
The 11 isolated residents are receiving their meals in their rooms, while the other residents are dining as usual with social distancing protocols in place, he said.
Visitors are still permitted at the facility as long as they use full personal protective equipment and follow other protocols, he said.
All lodge residents – except one new resident – have received two shots of a COVID vaccine, the last shots being administered mid-February.
Asked if that comes into place in declaring the outbreak, he said, “Not in the monitoring, no. We always watch for symptoms and we are doing swabbing and if there are no positive swabs and there’s no symptoms we should be done on March 12.”
Alberta Health Services is overseeing the outbreak at Aspen Lodge, he said.
The one new resident who arrived at the facility after the second vaccination date remains in isolation as per new arrival protocols, he said.
It is the first outbreak at the Didsbury lodge; an earlier outbreak at the Olds lodge was successfully managed and ended.
“We realize that being upgraded to a confirmed outbreak is extremely worrisome and will be a source of anxiety for all residents, their families and staff,” he said.
“With strict isolation guidelines in place, limited movement of staff, strict visitor restrictions, and proper use of personal protective equipment, we will get through this outbreak together.”
Up to 60 staff members work at Aspen Ridge Lodge.
