Thread by @MickeyDjuric

Here’s what happened at Parkside @extendicare during Sask's deadliest COVID-19 outbreak, per the Ombudsman's 120-page report:

- In 62 days, 170 of 173 residents got COVID-19 (20% or 39 died from COVID-19, 3 others died from other causes)
- 132 staff infected #covid19sk #skpoli

Patient Zero at Parkside was a direct care worker:
- They worked 2 shifts prior to being symptomatic
- Then worked 8 shifts while symptomatic
- Didn’t seek testing right away when advised by doc to do so
- Was unmasked + close contacts w/ 3 other direct care workers

#covid19sk

The first person to die from COVID-19 (Resident Zero) was linked to Patient Zero (who didn’t report symptoms to management), according to an Extendicare note sent to @saskhealth.

#covid19sk #skpoli

Staff were known to socialize without masks during breaks and without social distancing. Some carpooled together (without masks) and socialized at each other's homes.

Early on, 1 COVID-19 positive resident was resuscitated manually by EMS in a room, which generated aerosols. The care worker in the room didn’t wear an N95 respirator or face shield as required.

Some symptomatic staff of Parkside Extendicare told the Ombudsman they weren’t screened. @extendicare says they did screen but documents to prove it was destroyed. One person said before the outbreak was declared (Nov. 20), screening was on “the honour system” #covid19sk #skpoli

27% of Parkside @extendicare staff reported working while symptomatic, according to @saskhealth on Dec. 15. At that time, 169 residents + 126 staff had COVID.

#covid19sk #skpoli

Some staff at Parkside @Extendicare reported being ‘harassed’ if they needed to stay home because they were symptomatic.

#covid19sk #skpoli

During the 62-day outbreak, COVID-19 positive residents were in rooms with non-COVID residents, presumably without masks. Staff with symptoms were dealing with residents not wearing masks.

Parkside @extendicare and some @saskhealth officials responsible for long-term care were not aware of the mask mandate (which was not being followed) until late December.

#skpoli #covid19sk

@extendicare @SaskHealth Extendicare and some @saskhealth officials responsible for long-term care were not aware of the mask mandate until late December. #skpoli #covid19sk

@extendicare @SaskHealth Parkside @extendicare did not comply with the public health order 2 weeks leading up to the outbreak. By the time @saskhealth realized they weren’t complying, almost all of Parkside’s residents had gotten COVID + many died. #covid19sk #skpoli

6 months before the outbreak at Parkside, @extendicare lobbied the Ministry of Health to bring on-site rapid testing to Sask homes. The Ministry refused the requests due to not having enough resources. #skpoli #covid19sk

Rapid testing was eventually implemented on Dec. 8 — “too late to save any residents" at Parkside @extendicare, the report said. Province-wide rapid testing was introduced at continuing care facilities in Jan. 2021.

#covid19sk #skpoli

@extendicare Parkside @extendicare was extremely understaffed during the outbreak:
- not enough environmental or food service workers.
- Students from @SaskPolytech's continuing care assistant care program were brought in to help.

#covid19sk #skpoli

Understaffing led to staff working with both positive and negative COVID-19npatients. When positive patients were moved, the whole room wasn’t getting disinfected by housekeeping.

Parkside @extendicare (private company) was unable to access the SHA’s labour pool under the arrangements it had with unions representing staff. #skpoli #covid19sk

Extendicare was so short-staffed, Dr. Shahab had to sign an interim waiver of the public health order on Dec. 9 to reduce the isolation period for Parkside workers from 14 days to 10 days so workers could go back in to help. #covid19sk #skpoli

No physicians came to Parkside Extendicare for most of 2020 despite a 62-day outbreak resulting in the death of 39 people.

#covid19sk #skpoli

Lack of PPE at Parkside @extendicare:
- staff wouldn’t change PPE after dealing with residents
- Extendicare gave staff 1 mask a day, and a brown paper bag to store it in. It went against @saskhealth policy of 4 masks a day. #skpoli #covid19sk

@extendicare @SaskHealth Extendicare's PPE supply chain did not meet @saskhealth’s standards. @extendicare said PPE standards were set at an acute care standard, and not sustainable in the long-term care sector #skpoli #covid19sk

Parkside @extendicare did not follow protocols:
- staff didn’t tie gowns correctly, some were not washing hands between donning and doffing, some wore gloves that didn’t fit.

PPE at Parkside @extendicare was stored in ways that created high-risk cross-contamination. Food delivery not disinfected properly. PPE was being stored in shoe caddies hung over resident room doors.

#covid19sk #skpoli

Other infrastructure issues at Parkside @Extendicare:
- resident rooms didn’t meet relevant ventilation standards, and resident/care rooms effectively got no ventilation.

#covid19sk #skpoli

@extendicare Two weeks into the outbreak, Parkside @extendicare finally adopted @saskhealth’s masking standard. At this point 158 people (94 residents + 64 staff) had COVID. More than 32 more staff with the onset of symptoms had not been detected yet. #covid19sk #skpoli

@extendicare @SaskHealth Dec. 8, @saskhealth and @extendicare figured out a way to bring in staff. They signed a co-management agreement, and the SHA took control of Parkside.

By the time they took over: 246 people (149 residents + 97 staff) have COVID-19.

#skpoli #covid19sk

The outbreak at Parkside @extendicare, which was declared on Nov. 20, ended 62 days later on Jan. 21, 2021.

@extendicare Also to clarify some numbers:
- @saskhealth’s final outbreak report said 170 of 173 Parkside residents got COVID
- Ombudsman reported it was 190 of 194. This includes 25 residents who transferred to Regina Pioneer Village during the outbreak and 24 later tested positive.