Fuchsia Dragon | [email protected]
The COVID-19 outbreak at Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge (ASSL) is officially over.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful. We needed this light,鈥� said Kristen Chambers, CAO of the Evergreens Foundation, operators of ASSL.
In total, 21 cases of COVID-19 were identified at the Jasper seniors鈥� home between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17. Outbreaks in acute care and continuing care facilities, including group homes, are declared over when four weeks have passed since the last positive test results, making ASSL鈥檚 outbreak officially over on Jan.14.
鈥淚t really seemed like our exposure and the majority of positive tests we had all really showed up in that initial 14 days since the first case,鈥� Chambers said.
鈥淚t seemed that the initial exposure happened prior to us even knowing it was in the building. It went through quite rapidly.鈥�
Due to privacy laws, Evergreens has not differentiated between staff and resident cases during the outbreak, but confirmed that while the majority of cases were linked to the designated assisted living (DAL) side of the facility, two were on the Lodge side, but 鈥渨e don鈥檛 think they were necessarily linked,鈥� Chambers said.
During the outbreak, four residents died while COVID-19 positive. A fifth resident died last weekend from 鈥減ost-COVID complications鈥�. They had tested positive for the virus more than 30 days earlier.
Chambers described the loss as 鈥渁 shocking and sobering reminder of the long-term effects of this deadly virus鈥�.
But with the outbreak declared over and ASSL residents and staff receiving vaccines against COVID-19, things are brightening again at the lodge.
鈥淭hey (the residents and staff) are very relieved,鈥� Chambers said. 鈥淚 think the combination of outbreak status being lifted and being able to get vaccines really early on has been a really positive impact on people's minds.鈥�
Residents and staff at the Jasper facility had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 2 and are scheduled to have their second doses on Feb. 2.
Outbreak restrictions have now been lifted and the facility is operating under provincial health orders again. Residents can dine two-per-table, self-serve items like coffee and snacks are back, and activities can run again.
Chambers praised the Jasper community for its support of ASSL residents and staff during the outbreak, including people waving to residents through windows, Jasper Elementary School鈥檚 holiday parade before Christmas, and gifts from community members and businesses including food, coffee and gift cards.
鈥淪ome of the staff, so many, had worked long shifts and long days with others being off in isolation,鈥� Chambers said. 鈥淪taff, AHS and Evergreens, went totally over and beyond - and to get that recognition from the community that what they were doing was being noticed was so nice.鈥�
Chambers said she had also received 鈥渂eautiful鈥� emails from family members when she sent out updates on the outbreak, some relaying kind words from residents.
鈥淚t feels like with COVID we are constantly dodging bullets and to find that first case was totally devastating,鈥� Chambers said.
鈥淏ut to see the family support come through and how quickly we were able to come out of the outbreak, we are really proud of everybody.
鈥淭he Jasper community always has a special way of having each other鈥檚 backs through crises and it was really evident through that whole process. It was really nice to see.鈥�
