Give rapid tests to care home staff during COVID-19 outbreaks, Manitoba family says

Care homes need to take more precautions to protect residents from COVID-19, according to family members of those who have died in Manitoba's worst active outbreak.

Loretta Hopkins' 87-year-old mother Virginia Ewasko is one of two residents at Third Crossing Manor in Gladstone, Man., who have died since an outbreak was declared on Nov. 8.

She doesn't know how the virus got into the facility, but says she was told her mother got it from one of the staff. 

She wants to know why the care home didn't require testing for staff once the outbreak was declared.

"If there was COVID in that facility, in my opinion … each one that came in should have been at least rapid-tested before they started their shift," she said.

Third Crossing Manor has had a total of 68 cases, 40 of which are still active.

It's one of three active care home outbreaks in Manitoba. On Thursday, the province also announced six deaths linked to an outbreak at a care home in Benito, Man. Another outbreak has been declared at Arborg Personal Care Home, where seven residents have tested positive.

Hopkins' mother died on Nov. 12, less than 48 hours after being diagnosed with the disease. Hopkins says those two days were awful.

"We should not have had to be calling for nurses to come and give her medication," she said.

"Don't get me wrong, there were some amazing nurses and amazing health-care workers there as well. It was just the situation that made those two days a living nightmare."

Ewasko was not vaccinated against COVID-19, Hopkins said, because she worried about how it might affect her other health conditions. 

"She chose what she thought was right for her and also kind of somewhat believed that there would be in place … some precautions taken, so hopefully that the vulnerable in the care home would not be in contact with such a horrible illness," she said.

Sheldon Gould's family member is the other person living at the care home who died. 

His wife's great-aunt, Eleanor Mclaughlin, was in her 80s. Mclaughlin was diagnosed last week and died a few days ago.