SHA calls Parkside Extendicare outbreak an emergency, puts out wide call for workers

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is calling the COVID-19 outbreak at Regina's Parkside Extendicare home an emergency and is sending out a wide call for more health workers to assist at the facility. 

"Regina Parkside is currently experiencing a severe, widespread outbreak of COVID-19 cases in its facility, including residents and staff," Brent Kitchen, the SHA's executive director of enterprise risk management, wrote in a early Wednesday afternoon memo to health care managers obtained by CBC News. 

"This is an emergency situation," Kitchen wrote. "Human Resources is issuing a broadcast to request staff to immediately assist at the facility. Please assess your area to identify any staff available to assist Parkside immediately as well as over the next five days. 

"This is an exceptional situation and your assistance is urgently required."

149 residents infected

Eleven Parkside residents have died during the outbreak. According to the latest update shared with families, 149 residents at the 228-bed facility have tested positive for the virus. The vast majority of those cases — 123 cases — remain active.

In addition, 57 staff members have tested positive, with 30 of those workers currently staying at home as they remain infected. The Regina Fire Department began helping out at the home over the weekend. 

"They do keep changing," Shahab said of the numbers. 

Five residents of the Parkside Extendicare home in Regina who had previously tested negative for COVID-19 and were moved to a separate facility to help curb the spread of the virus have now tested positive.

Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, said the setback illustrates the "very challenging environment" for Parkside, the worst COVID-19 outbreak in any Saskatchewan care home. 

SHA takes on greater role

Scott Livingstone, the CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority, said the SHA and Extendicare have agreed to allow the health authority to co-manage the facility for the time being.

"SHA will assume responsibility for day-to-day operational control at Parkside, enabling the SHA to deploy and direct clinical and operational staff, adjust clinical and operational policies/procedures and revise care plans," according to an SHA press release. 

As Livingstone put it, "We want to make sure that we are in there and supporting the care of residents as much as we can, but at the same time ensuring that the standards are being met in such a dramatic outbreak."

Ron Parent, the regional director for Extendicare in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, said in the release that Extendicare requested the arrangement "when it became clear that our team at Extendicare Parkside needed more help to manage the COVID-19 outbreak.

The agreement will be in place until January 15, 2021, with an option for the SHA to extend it by 30 more days.

5 residents moved to other home become infected

Twenty-five Parkside residents who had tested negative were moved to another care home, Pioneer Village, beginning on the weekend. 

Parkside residents transferred to Pioneer Village "are now under the care of the Saskatchewan Health Authority," Extendicare spokesperson Laura Gallant said. 

Five of those previously uninfected residents have now tested positive, Shahab said.

"That's why we're continuing to do the serial testing," Livingstone said.

"You have to cohort residents, even if they are transferred," Shahab added. 

Military assistance not ruled out

Pioneer Village is the largest seniors complex in the province and is home to its own — albeit smaller — COVID-19 outbreak. According to the latest province-wide update on COVID-19 cases in long-term care homes, Pioneer Village has at least five infected residents. 

"I think for the time being it is the best available option we have right now," Everett Hindley, the minister responsible for seniors, said Tuesday.

Hindley added that while the Saskatchewan government has not yet asked the Canadian military for assistance, "we wouldn't rule out any levels of support or any options should they be required."

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili expressed concern about the participation of Regina firefighters.

"They have other roles that are very important in the community," Meili said. 

Livingstone said the SHA has provided more staff to Parkside, including respiratory therapists.